Enemy at the Gates (2001)

Director: Jean-Jacques Annaud

Starring: Jude Law, Ed Harris, Joseph Fiennes, Rachel Weisz

A Russian and a German sniper play a game of cat-and-mouse during the Battle of Stalingrad.

‘Enemy at the Gates’ is a partially factual and partially fictionized film set in Stalingrad during World War II.

In 1942, sniper Vassili (Jude Law) is sent to war-torn Stalingrad where he befriends Commisar Danilov (Joseph Fiennes) after saving his life. Vassili joins the sniper division, and with Danilov working for the army’s newspaper, Vassili’s killings are soon published in the newspaper.

This, however, attracts attention from the Germans, and they send a sniper, Major Konig (Ed Harris) to eliminate him. What follows, is a cat and mouse game between the two snipers. A Young boy named Sacha is used as a go-between between Vassili and Konig. Sacha plays such an important part in the film. For a while he might come across as a traitor, until his true intentions are revealed.

Rachel Weisz stars as Tania Chernova, the romantic interest between both Vassili and Danilov. ‘Enemy at the Gates’ is a thrilling war movie that will keep you on the edge of your seat as the snipers battle it out. The attack scenes are incredibly well made, realistic and heart-wrenching.

At the box office, ‘Enemy at the Gates’ earned $97 million on a budget of $68 million.

Would I watch it again? Yes.