Das Boot

Name: Das Boot
Genre: Action, Drama, History, War
Released: February 10, 1982
Duration: 149 min
Rating: 86
Cast: Jürgen Prochnow

1982

METASCORE

Universal acclaim based on 15 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 208 Ratings

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7.1	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 208 Ratings

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Movie Details & Credits

Triumph Releasing Corporation | Release Date: February 10, 1982 | Unrated

Starring: Jürgen Prochnow

Summary: It is 1942 and the German submarine fleet is heavily engaged in the so called "Battle of the Atlantic" to harass and destroy English shipping. With better escorts of the Destroyer Class, however, German U-Boats have begun to take heavy losses. Das Boot is the story of one such U-Boat crew, with the film examining how these submarinersIt is 1942 and the German submarine fleet is heavily engaged in the so called "Battle of the Atlantic" to harass and destroy English shipping. With better escorts of the Destroyer Class, however, German U-Boats have begun to take heavy losses. Das Boot is the story of one such U-Boat crew, with the film examining how these submariners maintained their professionalism as soldiers, attempted to accomplish impossible missions, while all the time attempting to understand and obey the ideology of the government under which they served. (Sony Pictures)… Expand

Director: Wolfgang Petersen

Genre(s): Action, Drama, History, War

Rating: Unrated

Runtime: 149 min

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Metascore

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Critic Reviews

100

Keith Phipps

At once a devastating condemnation of war and an exciting action film...The additional running time only adds to Petersen's masterfully bleak, claustrophobic atmosphere. Das Boot is by no means a pleasant experience, but it's an intelligent and emotionally gripping one that you won't forget. [Director's Cut] Read full review

100

Kenneth Turan

The most convincing war movie ever made.

100

Roger Ebert

Wolfgang Petersen's direction is an exercise in pure craftsmanship. [Director's Cut] Read full review

Marc Savlov

One of the most suspenseful films of all time, its wartime action setting makes it easy to forget it's also one of the most spiritually righteous. [Director's Cut] Read full review

Owen Gleiberman

Sweaty and claustrophobic, exciting and horrifying at the same time, it never lets us forget we're riding aboard a giant, primitive tin can, a hunk of industrial machinery that mingles the illusion of omnipotence with the reality of a floating prison cell. [Director's Cut] Read full review

TV Guide Magazine Staff (Not Credited)

Racing through the sub, squeezing through tiny openings, director Wolfgang Petersen's camera brilliantly evokes the claustrophobia and clamor of undersea battle. Read full review

Staff (Not Credited)

A descent into the pit of hell with slim odds of ever returning. Read full review

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User Reviews

MustisTheCat

Aug 2, 2011

This movie would have been awfully boring it wasn`t as scary as it is. The first time I watched it I had to take breaks because I couldn`t take the tension. The claustrophobia of this film is something really special. We sit in half- darkness most of the time anticipating hull sounds. TheThis movie would have been awfully boring it wasn`t as scary as it is. The first time I watched it I had to take breaks because I couldn`t take the tension. The claustrophobia of this film is something really special. We sit in half- darkness most of the time anticipating hull sounds. The story is simple, though it`s just secondary to the main part and that is the Uboat. This tin coffin reminds us of everything we`d like never to experience in our lives. And yet there were real poeple volunteering to serve onboard of those coffins. Right to the end that history showed most of them were destroyed in action. For some reason the German actors really play it well. I mean this couldn`t have been done so good if they were average. Everything is believable here - the effects (as few of them as there are) are great, the submarine external views underwater are outright scary, the music perfectly goes with the atmosphere.… Expand

4 of 5 users found this helpful41

DaveC.

Sep 24, 2005

Four hours edge-of-your-seat suspense. I didn't avert my eyes for a second. The audience is never asked to either sympathise or condemn these characters. Das Boot is instead a haunting testament to the futility of war.

1 of 1 users found this helpful

moviematthew

Mar 6, 2015

I consider Wolfgang Petersen to be one of my favorite film directors, and "Das Boot" is probably my most favorite of his career. "Das Boot" portrays life on U-96, as accurate as possible, leaving no room for creative liberties, even if the submarine sank later in the war.

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

Aug 17, 2007

Probably the best war movie ever made. Forget garbage like 'Saving Private Ryan'. This movie truly captures the futility of war no matter what side you are on. Claustrophobic, non stop action that literally had me cringing throughout the long (nearly 4 hours) journey. You get so Probably the best war movie ever made. Forget garbage like 'Saving Private Ryan'. This movie truly captures the futility of war no matter what side you are on. Claustrophobic, non stop action that literally had me cringing throughout the long (nearly 4 hours) journey. You get so absorbed into the movie, you get to know the characters so well. Great acting, filming, dialogue and music. A masterpiece. 10/10… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful

geewah

Jan 9, 2021

The claustrophobic nature of it's setting, combined with a taut script adds to the suspense in this gripping war movie.
One of the best war movies ever made.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

AndrewH.

Jun 28, 2006

One of the most suspensful movies I've ever seen. Great pacing. Simple story. Amazing.

1 of 1 users found this helpful

Chrimle

Jan 27, 2019

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I believe it has a good feel of authenticity due to all dialogues being in German and realistically portrayed what one would experience on a German submarine (as far as I could imagine).

That's all the good aspects I found worth mentioning.

Characters or "The Drama": Something that has been praised in the reviews before deciding to watch the movie - is pretty much non-existent. The characters lacked any introduction - except the usual hectic one in the beginning where you are bombarded with all of the characters' names . I could only name ONE member of the submarine by the end of the movie - in other words, ONE of all the characters. None of the characters has any personality except the usual team of; The emotional one, the posh one, the mentally questionable one, the missing home/relatives one and the decision-maker. The acting was both good and bad, it isn't short of intense death stares.

Objective or "The Adventure": Where are they going, what's the objective or mission? Lacking the concept of where they are, which might be reflecting the sense of the crew and shifting more focus on the submarine, after all - they do have a navigator. This lack of a mission led to - unsurprisingly - that the action came to them. Later on, when they do set up destinations it's either; briefly mentioned and reached right away or it's described in detail and - of course - becomes difficult.

Sound & Music: "We can hear more down here, than we can see up there." Keeping the music to a minimum for specific moments only or reflecting the crew's emotions is a good aspect. But the movie could be more reliant on or more telling with sound than words. To explain that the approaching "humming" is a ship - after establishing that a ship is approaching isn't that.

Story: This is apparently based on a novel... A fictitious narrative. Rushes through the last act like crossing it off the checklist, thus failing to make an impactful ending.

My expected ending: The ship they thought was abandoned and once again shot at, was one of the most impactful scenes - of the few. Therefore, I expected them to take their roles later on in some way. And so comes the situation where they are stuck at the bottom and manages to resurface. At this time, I expected the engines to not work, receive fire and they would be left to surrender...

Would they be treated like they treated the crew of the ship before - left to die?… Expand

0 of 4 users found this helpful04

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