Fans have hailed an epic WW2 war film as a “masterpiece”, with one giving it a 10/10 score. Enemy at the Gates (2001) tells the story of skilled Soviet sniper Vassili Zaitsev, played by Jude Law, and his showdown with a German major and fellow master marksman during the battle of Stalingrad.
The events of the film, directed, co-written, and produced by Jean-Jacques Annaud, are a fictionalised account of the real-life Zaitsev, who was a celebrated figure in Soviet society and fought in the key battle on the eastern front.
The film features a star-studded cast including Joseph Fiennes as Commissar Danilov, who plays a key role in Zaitsev’s rise to fame, and war movie veteran Ed Harris as Zaitsev’s opposite number on the German side.
Other major stars in the film include Rachel Weisz, Bob Hoskins, Ed Harris, and Ron Perlman.
One Audience Reviewer on Rotten Tomatoes said: “Fearsome sniper sequences and strong acting mark this gripping marksman movie.”
Another branded it one of “the best sniper movies ever, and probably in the top 15-20 war movies of all time”.
One IMBd user gave it a 10/10 rating and questioned how the film failed to receive any Oscar nominations, saying is it “a brilliant film, A masterpiece!!”
A few users questioned why the film was given a romantic subplot, with one saying it “felt tacked on and less than believable”, but adding that the movie does a “good job of revealing the USSR’s disdain for the lives of their own soldiers”.
Another said it was “Great”, and featured: “Captivating and engaging performances from a superb cast.”
The film has a strong 82% score on Rotten Tomatoes’ Popcornmeter, which reflects the percentage of users who rated it 3.5 stars or higher.
Enemy at the Gates is available to rent or buy on various platforms, including Amazon Prime.