# U-571 (2000)

### reviewed by
Scott Renshaw

U-571 (Universal) Starring: Matthew McConaughey, Bill Paxton, Harvey Keitel, Jon Bon Jovi, Thomas Kretschmann, Jake Weber, Jack Noseworthy, David Keith. Screenplay: Jonathan Mostow, Sam Montgomery and David Ayer. Producers: Dino de Laurentiis and Martha de Laurentiis. Director: Jonathan Mostow. MPAA Rating: PG-13 (violence, profanity) Running Time: 116 minutes. Reviewed by Scott Renshaw.

I'll tell you how U-571 ends: The good guys win. I'll let on another key piece of information: When two characters are engaged in conversation during a non-combat moment, you can bet your life that there should be a bright red neon sign beneath the characters' faces that flashes the word "FORESHADOWING" over and over again. We know the villains are villains because they mow down unarmed survivors with their deck guns; we know the heroes are heroes because they'll even save the lives of one of the villains. Moral complexity? Psychology? Subtext? Who has time for 'em? U-571 is a relentless plot machine. It's narrative film-making stripped down to the barest essentials: a plot, people to move the plot forward and a director to set the pace.

The director in this case happens to be Jonathan Mostow, who previously helmed the relentless plot machine called BREAKDOWN. And he's very good at wringing every last drop of adrenaline out of his propulsive, generic tales. U-571 wrinkles history a bit to tell the story of an American mission to nab an Enigma code device -- which had been allowing German U-boats to pick their way through the North Atlantic fleet with little resistance -- from a crippled U-boat. The crew of an American submarine gets the job, including just-passed-over-for-a-command Lt. Andy Tyler (Matthew McConaughey). Posing as part of a German supply crew, the Americans manage to subdue their German counterparts. In fact, that turns out to be the easy part of the mission, as a torpedo to the American sub leaves her crew trapped on U-571.

The emphasis should be on the word "crew," because it's not particularly easy -- or, in fact, necessary -- to distinguish between individual crew members. Since McConaughey and Harvey Keitel (as Chief) are the most recognizable faces, they get a few moments of individual character development. The rest of the bunch either play necessary plot roles -- the radio operator (Jack Noseworthy) keeps us up to date on exactly how close to disaster our protagonists are; the vaguely unsavory military intelligence operative (Jake Weber) is around to remind us they must succeed or die trying -- or have endearing nicknames like Tank, Rabbit or Trigger. I have now effectively put as much time into delineating the individual characters as the screenwriters did. For two hours, they are asked to scramble about madly trying to keep the sub from sinking. Thank you for your time, Mr. Noseworthy, and here's your check.

Ordinarily, an action film with such a minimal concern for its human beings sets me to slumping despairingly in my seat. Mostow, on the other hand, has a knack for keeping me on the edge of it. U-571 takes us from one almost-impossible situation to another, never allowing the film to rest long enough for the whole enterprise to seem shallow. There would seem to be only so many ways to make spraying water, shuddering submarines and nautical maneuvers exciting, but Mostow finds every one of them. You know you're in the hands of a gifted action film-maker when you find yourself watching scenes that should have you scoffing, but instead have you cringing in anticipation. There's not a reason in the world to care about any of the people on board U-571, except as representations of our noble fighting men. Mostow managed to keep me enthralled in the fate of a sub full of puppets.

Of course it would have been preferable for U-571 to seem a bit more concerned with men under fire. In a way it's a throwback to the World War II films of a bygone era, interested primarily in waving the flag for the bravery of those who whipped Jerry into submission. Circa 2000, you can also add big-budget special effects and killer sound to the mix (do yourself a favor and see it in a theater that will have you shrinking from the straining walls). And you can add Jonathan Mostow, a director who's never going to be confused with Eric Rohmer when it comes to exploring the nuances of the human condition. The man can keep you hanging on to your armrests, though, and that's a rare talent. U-571 doesn't take its sub to any great depths. It just keeps the boat rockin'.

         On the Renshaw scale of 0 to 10 embraceable U's:  7.

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