Review of Das Boot (1981) by William C — 13 Feb 2012

Do you want the feeling of being trapped in the crowded corridors of a submarine for 3 1/2 hours? If you're like me you answer was probably "no thank you," but Das Boot while it starts slow becomes a riveting war film that sweats buckets of suspense and has a few genuine and well-earned shocks.

We don't a lot of overt character building moments (I'm speaking after viewing the 209 minute director's cut) but for much of the crew it happens subtly throughout. Mostly we have the captain's hard-set face to thank for guiding us through this sometimes difficult tale.

For many viewers it may be something of an endurance test, but don't be afraid to break it up into smaller segments, since it was once shown as a miniseries. Probably not something you'll watch often, but definitely worth seeing.