Featuring Jude Law, Rachel Weisz, Ed Harris; Directed by Jean-Jacques Annaud and released
in 2001, 'Enemy At The Gates' is based on the historic '
Battle of Stalingrad' with a deadly cat-and-mouse game being played between the two highly talented snipers during the First World War when the Germans were at the gates of Stalingrad and Russians were trying to stop them.
During the First World War, Adolf Hitler's Nazi forces besieged Stalingrad. The Russians were getting bullets like they were the 'shooting targets for practice,' The Russians have men outnumerbing the Kalashnikov (Russian rifle). Therefore, one in every two solider was given the gun while the other was instructed to follow him and take the gun and fight if the former falls. The Russians who tried to withdraw were shot by their own Russian soldiers calling them as 'cowards.'
Vassili Zaitsev (Jude Law), a sharp-shooting farm boy finds himself at the scenes. He manages to avoid bullets by pretending to be dead and lying among the bodies of dead Russians. Vassili who used to shot
wolves for food, now has German officers at his aim and he single-handedly kills a few top Germans with the fact that Germans had completely annihilated the Russian offensive. Vassili's skills impressed Commisar Danilov (Joseph Fiennes).
As a Communist propaganda, Danilov perceive to make Vassili a hero and exploit his image for boosting the morale of Russian forces against the advancing Germans. He makes Vassili a larger-than-life hero. Vassili is considered capable of defeating the Germans on his own.
Then comes the twist when Vassili and Danilov fall in love with the same girl, a female soldier named Tania Chernova (Rachel Weisz). The man who made Vassili a hero can destroy him too. A friend can betray a friend of jealousy. Then Vassili comes to know of his German counterpart, Major Konig (Ed Harris), the most talented sniper in German history, sent especially to finish him.
The film is based on the true story of the two real life soldiers, Zaitsev and Konig. One among the top five great war movies of all times. A wonderful visual display of war destruction and a nice way of telling a war story. A must-see film. A very nicely written script with breathtaking scenes shot in the deserted factory. You can't even think of blinking your eyes. You are packed throughout from beginning to end. No breaks. No snacks. No cellphones. Sit tight and play the DVD.