Enemy at the Gates

Enemy at the Gates (2001)

  • 54% of critics liked it
    (137 reviews)

  • 81% of users liked it
    (201,645 ratings)

A turning point in 20th century war history is the focus of this fact-based account of the 1942-1943 battle of Stalingrad, in which the Germans were finally defeated by Russian influence -- one of the bloodiest battles in World War II history. The film stars Jude Law as Vassili, a marksman from the… More

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R, 2 hr. 11 min.
Directed By
Jean-Jacques Annaud
Written By
Jean-Jacques Annaud, Alain Godard
Genres
Drama, Action & Adventure
In Theaters
Mar 16, 2001 Wide
On DVD
Aug 14, 2001
Paramount Pictures

Critic Reviews

  • Jonathan Rosenbaum, Chicago Reader

    There's never much risk of reality intruding--just a lot of histrionic James Horner music nd plenty of designer stubble on the soldiers' faces.

  • Peter Rainer, New York Magazine

    It's as if an obsessed movie nut had decided to collect every bad war-movie convention on one computer and program it to spit out a script.

  • Amy Taubin, Village Voice

    Hackneyed material.

  • Peter Travers, Rolling Stone

    Any flaws in execution pale against those moments when the film brings history to vital life.

  • Mike Clark, USA Today

    The story hits and misses for more than two hours following its opening artillery bloodbath.

Read all 21 critic reviews

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Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

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Featured Audience Ratings

  • xGary X


    When a young Russian soldier is held up as a heroic example to the besieged citizens of Stalingrad during WWII, the Nazis send their top marksman to kill him and quell their rising hope. There's a lot about Enemy At The Gates that I admire; the opening sequence is excellent,… More

  • Jeff "


    Enemy At The Gates is a very good film about two snipers who go head to head and play a game of cat and mouse. During The Battle Of Stalingrad, a young Sniper makes a name for himself by having multiple enemy kills. Judd Law gives a splendid performance as Vassilli Zaitsev, who became… More

  • Chris W


    Avoid this if you want a rousing and historically accurate war film. If you want to see a movie wit hlots of tense sniper exchanges and tension though, then this is a movie for you. The sets and atmosphere are wonderful, and some of the sequences are quite well done. The cast is also… More

  • MisterYoda ?


    "Enemy at the Gates" is about how a bunch of British soldiers try to keep the German army from taking Stalingrad in WW II. The opening scene, where the British take a train from England to the east bank of the Volga and then are transported across to Stalingrad, is well… More

Read all 20 featured audience ratings

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