I promised last time that I’d review U-571, so here it is. The cinema release was over-shadowed by the fuss about how the Americans were claiming credit for something that was nothing to do with them, so nobody actually bothered to say if the film was any good.

Well, it’s OK. The cast seem to realise they’re playing stereotypes, the usual submarine scenes are included and it passes 2 hours quite enjoyably. The main problem is that it’s hard to see who’s who amid all the darkness and water, so I came away not quite sure how various cast members ended up (Bill Paxton does his usual thing, Jon Bon Jovi must have left to make a new album without filming his final scenes, and I’ve no idea if David Keith lived or died despite him thoughtfully wearing a distinctive leather coat).

The disc is nicely done, and it has to be seen on DVD rather then VHS as it’s so dark. The extras consist of the director claiming that authenticity was his main concern, which is a bit odd. And to add insult to injury, the token British submariner is played by Robin Askwith.

Mild Peril Rating:

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