U-571
Starring: Matthew McConaughey, Harvey Keitel, Bill Paxton, Jon Bon Jovi
Directed By: Jonathan Mostow
In Jonathan Mostow's 1997 thriller Breakdown, he relied heavily on the theme of "What would you do?" The problem being what would you do if your wife disappears after taking a ride with a trucker. The cops don't believe you, and you would give anything to get her back. That movie was filled with intense thrills and a suspense driven plot. Mostow's new film, U-571, also has a suspnseful plot and intense action sequences. The movie's plot is based during World War II, where the Germans are running all over the Allies, due to their new Enigma machine which encrypts all there messages. The Allies intercept a distress signal from a U-boat, that has been hit by United States forces. So the task of Lieutant Andrew Tyler (McConaughey), is to board this U-boat, under the guise of Nazi soldiers, capture the Enigma machine and sink the boat. Unfortunately, while he is aboard the Nazi sub, the Germans sink the Allied sub, killing all but the crack team that is aboard U-571. The submarine setting itself is tight and close quartered, leaving one with the intense feeling of claustrophobia. Another question is who will attack them first, the Nazis who are unaware, or the United States troops who are don't know of this top secret mission. The final force driven sequence involving a Nazi Destroyer and the rag tag crew has you sitting on the edge of your seat the entire last half hour of the movie. McConaughey, last seen in the dud Ed TV, shines as the captain of the rag tag crew, with his deft performance McConaughey makes up for the double misfires of Ed TV, and the awful miscasting in Contact. U-571 will have you on the edge of your seat until the very last frame. A-