 | 4-star for quality production, but . . .
rating: 1
I blame myself for not taking the clue of the title, "In Enemy Hands." Yep, just like a submarine gliding beneath the surface into your worldview, the mission of this propaganda film is to promote a "let's just be nice" attitude toward our "enemies."
What "Hunt For Red October" tried to do with the minds of Americans toward the kind-hearted, well-meaning Russians, "In Enemy Hands" tries to do with our minds toward those regular-guy, would-be brothers who happened to be born in Germany in the Hitler era. I should have seen it coming, from the early scenes of the (albeit subtitled) German dialogue. The producers of this subversive film make every effort possible to show us that the Nazis didn't really want to be mean to us, and that they really only torpedoed a U.S. ship if it was mean to them first. Come on guys! Can't we just get along? Let's all realize that if it wasn't for those nasty war-minded few, we would all be great brothers!
Even the cowardly American sub-crew who were taken captive (by the kind-hearted Nazi submarine captain) had to be shown (by the makers of the film) that their fears of being mistreated by Germans were entirely misguided.
Shoot, can't you see the love in the teary eyes of the Nazi captain when he chokes up over the news that his daughter's school was bombed ("with no survivors")? And if you get really on board with this movie, you'll realize that it was us mean Americans who did all of the bad things in the WW2!
Oh, and by the way, no, WW2 was not "over" in 1943 as the actors claimed throughout. Lemme see, I seem to remember a couple of bombs going off in August of 1945 on Japan.
As for the casting, I guess that for the "hero" in this anti-military media effort, they had to find an actor who is best at being a wimpy bit-player. William C. Macy sticks out in my mind as the dorky principal in Mr. Holland's Opus, the annoying bean-counter in A Civil Action, the insecure worry-wart dad-of-a-loser in Searching For Bobby Fischer, and the only forgetable character in John Grisham's The Client.
Why did the writers choose the disease of meningitis? Along with the not-so-subtle title message of being in the loving hands of the Nazis, I think they chose this disease because it sounds like "men in crisis." And of course, the crisis is having to admit that we have thought of Nazis in such undeservedly ugly ways.
And if I may ask one more question; why make this film in 2004? My guess is that "In Enemy Hands" is really aimed at our present-day mean view of those kind-hearted, well-meaning Muslims around the world who only blow themselves up around dissenting men, women and children because Americans have been so mean and unkind to them first.
This film deserves a full depth charge.
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draggling, dull, despriting, devoid of a good story
rating: 1
Didn't believe there could be a worse film than U-571 until I saw this one.
Scenes are pretty good. Costuming very period. They used a real submarine and they used real germans.
Acting is very low quality. Plot is dragging and dull. Diolog just dies. Spoken devoid of spirit. Other than the German captain and his exxo, none of the characters is really interesting.
Really pathetic this one.
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Loved this submarine story.
rating: 5
This movie moved me to the point of tears. It is an absolute gem. You will not be disappointed.
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Decent Submarine movie with a great cast which makes this movie worth the watch
rating: 3
In 2000's U571, the Americans attacked a German UBoat and eventually their boat got destroyed and so they had to us the German boat. In this one, the German's attack the American sub when it was doing pratice dives and eventually the German's take the remaining American survives aboard and hold them hostage. Things happen when some German soldiers get out of hand attacking the Americans and some of the German's actually try to blow up the ship after the German captain has the American's help them get back home. Not bad submarine movie has its moments and the cast has some excellent stars and young stars which gives this movie the power it needs. There are some cheesy moments (actress Lauren Holly (Dumb & Dumber, Down Periscope) for one thing) but it was a decent enough ride. I would say in a different style then U571, not like it (but it did feel like it sorta). The excellent cast includes the superb William H. Macy (The Cooler, Stealing Sinatra), Scott Caan (A Boy Named Hate, Into The Blue), Til Schweiger (Driven, Barefoot), a solid Thomas Kretschmann (Immortal, King Kong), Clark Gregg (We Were Soldiers), Ian Somerhalder (Tv's LOST, upcoming Pulse), Jeremy Sisto (Wrong Turn, Suicide Kings), AJ Buckley (Wishcraft, The Forsaken), Chris Ellis (Con Air, Crimson Tide), Sam Huntington (Rolling Kansas, Detroit Rock City) and Xander Berkeley (North Country, Fox's 24).
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What is this, Brokeback Submarine?
rating: 1
This is an unbelievable movie. Let's get this straight, Macy makes a promise that he will not take the ENIGMA machine to the Nazi commander, and then keeps his word by scuttling the ship. This is a true version of Hollywood's idea of a hero. A man betrays his country for his friendship with the German, nevermind the thousands of American and British sailors possession of the ENIGMA would save, nevermind defeating the most brutal dictator and mass murderer in history (Stalin's and Mao's mass murders hadn't happened yet), Macy's loyalty is to his new German "ally" (lover?). His actions are not believable. In reality, if Macy did act in this manner, his crew would probably have killed him, or at least subdued him and turned him in for treason along with the ENIGMA device.
To the guy who rated this 5 stars and said most won't get this movie (typical Liberal elitist), we get it, we just don't like it.
Typical Hollywood anti-war drivel, adequate acting, weak plot, poor writing, unimaginative Leftist propaganda...Barbara Streisand's version of WWII.
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