Predictable but mildly entertaining, U-571 is an old-fashioned submarine thriller that almost drowns in its own cliches.
A very young Matthew McConaughey stars as Lt. Andrew Tyler, whose recently been passed over for a promotion by his tough minded commander Dahlgren (Bill Paxton, reliably good). Do you think Tyler will get a chance to prove himself to Dahlgen?
A top secret mission to recover an Enigma cypher machine from the Nazis forces Tyler and his team to board a Nazi sub disguised as German forces.
Golly, do you think they'll be a cocky Bronx sailor who questions Tyler's authority? Will there be a scared Navy man who is forced to save the day by finding his bravery?
Will there be long sub sequences in which they must be very quiet as depth charges float down toward their sub?
You couldn't fit every submarine cliche in one movie could you? YEP you can and here it is.
It's not that these sequences aren't suspenseful and exciting. Writer/Director Jonathan Mostow (Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines) knows how to craft action and his cast serves him well.
Harvey Keitel (Pulp Fiction) is strong as a CPO who demands protocol, David Keith (An Officer and a Gentleman) is good as the special ops man behind the mission and a VERY young Will Estes (Jamie Regan on "Blue Bloods") is a standout in the crew.
Hell, even Jon Bon Jovi holds his own as McConaughey's best friend and early casualty in the battles.
The special effects are decent, its got some rah-rah moments, but its a rather waterlogged entry in its sub genre. I'll go back to "Ice Station Zebra" and "Hunt for Red October" for my next dive instead.
U-571 gets a C.
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