Das Boot

In many ways, this reminded me of "Aces High" (1976). An example of young, barely pubescent, men sent to a war that would test their mettle to the extreme as they lived each day, perilously, as it came. This time, these young men are encased in a few hundred tons of creaking metal submarine and are tasked with harrying the Allied convoys travelling to and from the UK as World War II continued. The crew are led by an unorthodox captain (Jürgen Prochnow) and with the combination of underwater claustrophobia and paranoia now coupled with far more effective protection tactics from their enemy, the atmosphere in their sweaty and sweating sardine tin grows more and more tense. The film depicts with effective plausibility the lives of these submariners who have their successes, but as they gradually realise the war isn't quite going their way, they also face dangers on an increasing basis. The photography is expertly delivered using the natural dinginess of the boat's interior, the frequent hostility of the ocean and the failing mechanics of their home to present us with something that really does make for uncomfortable viewing - even if we ought not to have been "on their side" for a moment. Prochnow works well as the commander with a purpose, but also with a compassion for his struggling crew and a sense of decency that provides him with what might be a little too delicate a respect for his "fat slob" bosses in Berlin. The dialogue and it's cast-wide delivery also manages to create a real feeling of life-and-death scenarios as these men lurch from manmade risk to equally treacherous natural ones. Erwin Leder probably stands out more from the supporting cast as his "Johann" character epitomises most potently the strains under which these youngsters must prevail, but there are generally strong performances all around from an ensemble that illustrates powerfully the camaraderie and inter-dependence of a crew constantly living on the edge of it's nerves. It's almost perfectly paced, with moments of high drama and moments of quiet reflection which Wolfgang Petersen has crafted into an enthralling story of human endurance, temperament and determination. Big screen if you can, it does much more justice to the whole aesthetic of this drama, but even on the television it's an honest and compelling look at war.