The Boat

If only one submarine movie were ever made, and it was this one, it would be absolutely enough. Nothing else would need to be addressed, and nothing much else could even be added. This works incredibly well and manages to create exactly what it should - a claustrophobic atmosphere, fear, terrifying moments, but also compelling fates. And the Germans are really good at this, even in terms of acting. The running time doesn't seem excessive at all. Visually, it is fantastic. (26/11/2015)

One of the greatest war films of all time and certainly the best submarine film the silver screen has ever seen. Petersen masterfully transfers emotions to the viewer – distress, fear, panic. This is not a glorified Nazi submarine fleet, but a disillusioning view beneath the surface of the war. Both the acting performances and the conclusion of the film, which is miles away from the pathetic finale of many war films, contribute to the suggestiveness... As I've written before: a film like this says a lot more about the horror of war than all of Saving Private Ryan and his dead brothers. (15/02/2004)

Surprisingly, one of the best anti-war demonstrations took place in Germany, entirely under the sea, led by the charismatic devil Jurgen Prochnow, who then grew grey and was tempted by offers from the Führer Uwe Boll. Wolfgang Petersen steers his life's journey like a highly skilled craftsman, giving the viewer the foul stench of war and suffering with a perhaps slightly fluctuating but noticeable and admirable intensity throughout the 200 minute runtime. In the first two acts, we are thoroughly introduced to the characters of the protagonists and their insignificant, more or less unwanted wartime contributions, only to end up biting our nails and keeping our fingers crossed for those desperate Nazis in such a way that we get bruises. One can only bow deeply to the excellent claustrophobic production design, the clever script with a clear message and the heroic performance of all the actors, whose hirsute and frightened faces pretty much speak for themselves. 90% (13/10/2013)

I have just watched a film from the category of those that must be viewed out of obligation, as they represent a genre foundation from which orientation in the field of cinema derives. I understand what Petersen was trying to do and what most viewers appreciate about the film. The life of sailors on a submarine is framed by duty, stress, routine, fear, and claustrophobia. However, some people say that the film's long duration is not at all an obstacle but based on my personal experience, I cannot agree with that. Regardless of how grand the spectacle may have appeared, it was tiresome for me, and I would be a hypocrite if I were to join the choir singing praises. I could not empathize with the characters of the crew, no character truly interested me, and I did not embrace any of them as my own. And for the third time, one must wonder how many opponents of Nazism were found in Germany during the wartime period and how casually they actually freely spoke aboard a warship. Three stars are a formal acknowledgment of Petersen's craftsmanship in the epic film, but The Boat was not a film that I loved and I will not revisit it in the future. Overall impression: 55%. (07/08/2019)

Each character in the script has their own depth and each plays a smaller or larger, but similarly key role in the film. The outstanding actors also contribute to the excellent result. Jürgen Prochnow excels in the lead role of the captain, but he unfortunately drowned his promising career in B-movie waters. Wolfgang Petersen directed an atmospheric film that is probably still unmatched within the genre. (13/03/2005)