Rating: 
Summary: The Frozen Hell of Stalingrad
Review: This movie does not hold much back. Perhaps not as graphic as "Saving Pvt. Ryan", it is more pyschologically disturbing. This is not an uplifting movie, but then again something set in Stalingrad is not suppose to be! The equipment and uniforms are all accurate, as befitting the producers of Das Boot. The storyline is pretty basic, a series of horrondus sequences as we watch the slow death of the German 6th army. I found keeping track of the various German actors a little difficult as they all looked pretty much the same after a while, especially after the wear and tear of battle. The end scene in the Bunker with the captured Russian female who speaks German was a bit contrieved, but it does add extra irony and poigancy to an already harsh film. No doubt the older Italian movie "Attack and Retreat" served as a partial inspiration. The more recent "Enemy at the Gates" provides more of a storyline and romance than this movie, and makes for an interesting contrast. For sheer rawness and power Stalingrad has a lot going for it, and while not as graphic as "Ryan", it does not pretend to have any uplifting message. In fact the Germans show that they can be pretty brutal in depicting themselves during a sad and debased period in their history. I would like to see the Japanese come out with a film like this if they could ever have the courage to face their past like the Germans have!
Rating: 
Summary: Awful, awful, awful.
Review: A war movie from the German perspective, Stalingrad is an unfortunate waste of time. Not only does it trivialize the actual battle into looking like a small skirmish, there is little in the way of genuine characterization, powerful drama, and a sense of authenticity. The sets feel enclosed and too small for a movie that strives to be an anti-war epic, the make-up effects on the wounds are horrendous, and the battle scenes are poorly choreographed. There are so many other combat war films out there you can see rather than Stalingrad. If you want a war film from the German perspective, go see Das Boot. If you want great characterization, watch Saving Private Ryan or Platoon. If you want blistering, harrowing, non-stop rampant combat, then go see Black Hawk Down. Stalingrad is just an utter mess.
Rating:
Summary: stalingrad
Review: little fighting,a discrace to the soldiers who were there,a true dud.
Rating:
Summary: Outstanding
Review: A truely monumental movie! Stalingrad made me feel the cold of the Russian winter as I watched from my sofa in May! The uniforms and equipment were outstanding too. This is a must for any collector of WWII militaria as well as anyone who enjoys movies about history. I would rate this movie as good as "Saving Pvt. Ryan".
Rating:
Summary: Truth about the German Soldier
Review: Stalingrad is an important war film from a number of perspectives. It very accurately portrays the typical Landser of the time. Normal men, struggling for a cause they believed in. It understandably had to limit the portrayal of the battle to certain characters and their actions to get across its message. Survivors of Stalingrad considered "der Furher" as their "gravedigger." This movie puts across a point - and it isn't heavy handed. The human element is the only criterion in war that matters. The disillusionment potrayed by the characters is totally in keeping with reality. There are excellent action sequences. The lack of German armor in the movie is understandable, because there aren't that many Panzers extant. If some of the anti-Nazi messages seem heavy handed, you must remember, that these senitments were, in reality, much harsher in the minds of the 6th Army Germans than what was portrayed in the film, and they were portaryed as skillfully as possible within the time limits a two hour film is constrained to work under. The harsh reality of combat is shown - years before "Saving Private Ryan," with clarity and skill. If the musical score seem "weak," as some viewers suppose - you must remember, it intentionally undermines the "glory" of the conquest these soldiers were to undertake. It is an intensely human drama, and it is nice to see characters portrayed who actually tried to do something about their hopeless situation. The end alone spells it all out - two soldiers, in the depths of the frozen waste, their only remaining humanity their love for one another, as the cold consumes them and kills them. If you want a movie that shows great slaughter and a romanticized, "Hollywood" version of war, go elewhere. IF you want a movie that shows the ambivalence of war, the soul-destroying circumstances faced by the German Landser, you'd be hard-pressed to find a better film. Definitely worth a war film afficiando's collectiion, definitely historically accurate, and a fine addition to any fan of war history. After several viewings, I finally "got it," and I would recommend it! +
Rating:
Summary: One of the worst war films I've ever seen.
Review: Plotless war film features a group of German soldiers carried from one "harrowing" situation to another. I'm certain war generally has no sense of direction, but this film ambles forever with no point in mind. The battle sequences are laughably bad, the acting is third-rate, and the big emotional finale resonates no emotion whatsoever. Lots of graphic violence, but when you find yourself trying to stifle a chuckle, you know it's not terribly realistic.
Rating: 
Summary: So So
Review: The battle of Stalingrad is usually seen as the decisive battle of World War II which led to the defeat of the conservative alliance which was led by Nazi Germany. What happened was that after the defeat of the Soviet Offensive around Kharkov German forces advanced deep into Soviet Territory towards the important rail junction of Stalingrad. The aim of the German offensive was to cut off the industrial sections of the Soviet Union from its sources of petroleum in the Caucus. The problem was that the German forces were poorly supplied and poorly supported by inadequately equipped Romanian armies. The Soviets were able to initially holt the German advance at Stalingrand and to then destroy the supporting armies trapping the German Sixth Army in a pocket. The Germans had no strategic reserve and had to withdraw their forces in the south leaving the sixth army to be captured. The German Sixth Army held on for some time in appalling conditions. Huge numbers of soldiers succumbed to starvation and to the cold. This film is about the battle of Stalingrad. It tells the story from the point of view of a small number of soldiers trapped in the pocket. The difficulty of making a film about the battle from the German point of view is what do you say. In years gone by the approach of Germans to their history was to suggest that the evils of the Nazi regime were limited to the SS and to organs of the ruling party. The army by comparison had performed in a brilliant way and maintained its honour. It is clear now days that in fact the German Army was involved in a range of brutal crimes against the general Russian population. This film tries to sidestep the historical issues by concentrating on a group of soldiers at a low level. They are mildly rebellious and one of them loses a combat decoration for insubordination. The main characters are shown to have served with the Africa Korps and are transferred in the beginning of the film to the Russian front. The film charts the early optimism of the Stalingrad campaign and shows how after the Soviet winter offensive the position of the Germans grew more and more desperate. The technique of the film maker is to suggest that the characters are basically decent. This is shown by their kindness towards Russian captives and civilians. The exist in a world in which the villains are the officer Corp and the leaders. The film is a tragedy in which the common soldiers try firstly to survive and then to escape. In the end they fail and become some of the countless casualties of battle. The film is reasonably easy to watch but it fails really to deal with the subject in a reasonable way. It is not an action adventure film and it is not a very realistic film either.
Rating: 
Summary: From Big to Small in the Snow
Review: When STALINGRAD was released in Germany in 1992 it was accompanied by a flood of books, magazines and modeling kits in honor of the 50th anniversary of the Battle of Stalingrad. As with most German-made World War Two movies, this film focuses on the honorable actions of a small infantry unit rather than the Reich's broader political-stragetic designs. The film opens with a battalion of hardened infantrymen transfering from the relative comfort of Italy to the savage reality of the Steppes. From that point the focus narrows to a handful of German soldiers attempting to survive in world gone mad. Despite the German 6th Army's setback at Stalingrad, the German command continues to believe in its invincibility with resulting detrimental effect on the soldiers. In terms of hardware the film assembled an impressive list of museum pieces including T-34 tanks, Czech-built Hanomag halftracks and a Junkers Ju-52 aircraft for the production. Indeed, the Ju-52 retained its winter camouflage after the filming and made the rounds at air shows. STALINGRAD does not have much in the way of an impressive soundtrack. Additionally the film drifts from its subject matter to a melancholy ending in the snow. STALINGRAD did not do very well in its limited US big screen release. The widescreen DVD is an improvement over the VHS tape. As other reviewers have recommended, it is best to see the film in German with English subtitles, though the subtitles leave out quite a bit of the dialogue. Overall this film ranks highly with other war films. A viewer must take into account that this film was originally produced for a European audience. Traditionally foreign war films lack a distinct hero and happy endings are rare.
Rating:
Summary: POOR war movie
Review: This movie is certainly not worth buying in DVD. If it is shown on TV it's Ok, but you will not want to see it again. There is basically no plot and the historical content (how the battle unfolds) is not a focus at all. It's all about following a bunch of German soldiers trying to survive. Even this could be Ok, if only the acting was not so BAD. A thousand times better is Cross of Iron and ten times better Ennemy at the Gates for a real Russian front experience.
Rating:
Summary: A Disappointing Movie about Stalingrad
Review: I viewed the movie with great anticipation. I have read about the battle, and seen various tv documentaries. The movie just didn't work well for me. The German soldiers were starving and filthy by the time of the surrender in 1943 - these guys had a few days growth on their faces and looked pretty healthy. The Lt that was always making a general nuisance of himself was unbelievable, and his role smacked of revisionism. The final scenes were completely unbelievable - desertion; trying to get on the last plane out etc. I guess I was expecting the same quality as Das Boot.
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