The Boat

This is one of the few films where the overlong runtime is justified. If it hadn't been for the time I spent with the crew of the German submarine, I would hardly have been able to fully empathize with their plight. As time went on, I felt like I was in the bowels of a submarine with them, and I admit that it made me very uncomfortable more than once. I was even more impressed by the last dramatic minutes of the story, which were filled with absolute despair and doom. (80%) (08/30/2021)

One of the greatest war films of all time and certainly the best submarine film the silver screen has ever seen. Petersen masterfully transfers emotions to the viewer – distress, fear, panic. This is not a glorified Nazi submarine fleet, but a disillusioning view beneath the surface of the war. Both the acting performances and the conclusion of the film, which is miles away from the pathetic finale of many war films, contribute to the suggestiveness... As I've written before: a film like this says a lot more about the horror of war than all of Saving Private Ryan and his dead brothers. (02/15/2004)

Surprisingly, one of the best anti-war demonstrations took place in Germany, entirely under the sea, led by the charismatic devil Jurgen Prochnow, who then grew grey and was tempted by offers from the Führer Uwe Boll. Wolfgang Petersen steers his life's journey like a highly skilled craftsman, giving the viewer the foul stench of war and suffering with a perhaps slightly fluctuating but noticeable and admirable intensity throughout the 200 minute runtime. In the first two acts, we are thoroughly introduced to the characters of the protagonists and their insignificant, more or less unwanted wartime contributions, only to end up biting our nails and keeping our fingers crossed for those desperate Nazis in such a way that we get bruises. One can only bow deeply to the excellent claustrophobic production design, the clever script with a clear message and the heroic performance of all the actors, whose hirsute and frightened faces pretty much speak for themselves. 90% (10/13/2013)

If only one submarine movie were ever made, and it was this one, it would be entirely sufficient. Nothing else would need to be addressed and not much else could be added. This works brilliantly and manages to create exactly what it should - a claustrophobic atmosphere, fear, terrifying moments, but also strong destinies. And the Germans are really good at this, even in terms of acting. The runtime does not seem excessive at all. It has great special effects. (11/26/2015)

Each character in the script has their own depth and each plays a smaller or larger, but similarly key role in the film. The outstanding actors also contribute to the excellent result. Jürgen Prochnow excels in the lead role of the captain, but he unfortunately drowned his promising career in B-movie waters. Wolfgang Petersen directed an atmospheric film that is probably still unmatched within the genre. (03/12/2005)