Re: [OT] "Enemy At The Gates" Review (Warning! May contain spoilers)

On Sun, 18 Mar 2001 18:13:00 -0500, "Brian Bell" <bkb@beol.net> wrote:

>The required, gratuitous sex scene was ill conceived,
>uninspiring, and unnecessary.

Actually, I didn't find it at all gratuitous. And I actually thought it
wasn't
bad. I heartily disagree that it was unnecessary. It's the point where
the
character falls in love with the woman, totally. It's needed to set up
the
change in the character when he feels he has to avenge her and defeat
Koenig.

>The end of the sniper duel is IMHO, lame. No self respecting sniper is
going
>to just walk out to see if he killed his target. At the very least, he
would
>use cover in the attempt.

As I mentioned, I believe this is on purpose. I think he's deliberately
unbelievable. Yes, it was I'm not sure, but I think there's a certain
"unreal"
quality to the scenes in grey tones. I'll have to see it again to see if
this
is a theme. But that whole climax is unbelievable, but I think for good
reason. It's the legend, the myth.

Here's a question: aside from the 5 Germans that start the "legend", how
many
people do you actually see Zeitsev kill? Yet, he's discovered huddled in
fear,
and he survives the major offensive near the end by huddling in fear (by
his
own admission).

>Now, the above is almost all complaints. But this is presented as
counter
>point to Allan's fine review.

Thank you!

Personally, from seeing some of Annaud's other stuff, I honestly believe
some
of his "mistakes" and unbelievable scenes are unbelievable for a reason. 

Allan Goodall		       awg@sympatico.ca
Goodall's Grotto:  http://www.vex.net/~agoodall

"Now, see, if you combine different colours of light,
 you get white! Try that with Play-Doh and you get
 brown! How come?" - Alan Moore & Kevin Nolan,