With classic submarine epics like "Das Boot" and "Hunt for Red October" out there, is there room for another?

"U-571" chronicles the escapades of a group of sub-mariners stationed aboard the S-33. Their mission is to steal the infamous Nazi code-machine "the Enigma". Also apart of that mission is to neutralize the Nazi submarine, U-571 which holds the machine. The mission is a glorious success and just as the celebration commences for a successful mission, the crew witnesses the destruction of S-33. Their captain, the only way home, and their lives flash before their eyes as they are forced to man an enemy sub. Barely understanding the machinery, survival is their mission now. Matthew McConaughey, Harvey Keitel, Bill Paxton, David Keith, Jon Bon Jovi, and ER's Erik Palladino star in this submarine epic.

The epic scale adventure is alive and well in the heart of this film. "U-571" is one of those World War II movies that should be classified with other great war films set in the same era. These films are "The Guns of Navarone", "Operation Crossbow" and "The Dirty Dozen". From beginning to end we feel the scope of the historical grandeur that surround these men and their lives.

McConaughey plays a great central character but he never seems to be able to breathe enough heroic gusto into the role. His portrayal here is the kind of role that so many other A-list actors have perfected. The stoic hero trying to overcome surmountable odds. Harvey Keitel is forgettable and never really given anything to really go with exception to a couple of scenes where he buts heads with McConaughey.

There were of course a couple points that I found a bit confusing. During the whole destruction of S-33, I wondered who died and who was scrambling to get back into the sub. It was too black to see who was who. Also was it really necessary for Bill Paxton to wave at McConaughey to get the submarine under before the next torpedo? This whole situation was weird.

Except for a couple obvious weak character portrayals and some technical questions, "U-571" is a very enjoyable and intense film. The mood, lighting and atmosphere are what made this film a standout to me. The shaking of the cabin, the espionage plot, and the conflicts of the crew were great. In preparations for watching this film, I took in a couple other submarine features which really made me admire and appreciate what it's like to be a sub-mariner. These films were "Hostile Waters" starring Rutger Hauer and "TNT's The Hunley" which are both great submarine films. Like "U-571" these two submarine films pay homage to those who gave their lives during these stories. If you haven't already you should check out these two before or after seeing "U-571".

(4 of 5) So Says the Soothsayer.

1941. The German submarine U-571 is floating in the Atlantic. Their boat suffered heavy damage from a depth charging courtesy of the HMS Bulldog. The crew of the U-571 signal back to Germany for assistance, that transmission is intercepted by the United States' Navy and a special-ops mission is quickly put together. The crew of the aging S-33 is to pose as the German resupply craft, board the U-571, and capture the enigma coding device (A device used to code German transmissions). Although simple in design, the plan proves much more difficult in practice.

Plot: The plot to this movie is pretty thin. If you expect a film that will show the horrors of war you'll be grossly disappointed, but if you expect to see a movie the promotes US heroism then you've come to the right place. Writer/director Jonathan Mostow, Sam Montgomery, and David Ayer create enough suspense, intrigue, and excitement to keep the audience's attention throughout the movie's whole 2 hour run time. The best part of the script is it's pacing. As soon as the crew of the S-33 leaves port the movie doesn't give the audience time to exhale until the very end. The problem? This movie is no Das Boot. U-571 is a tale of the glories of war. Yes, people do die in the movie, but not like they do in Saving Private Ryan. Which leads to the second problem, character development. The characters only seem to have names so the audience won't call them Matthew McConaughey, Bill Paxton, and Harvey Keitel. As the audience, we know nothing about these people, but it doesn't bother us that we don't. Overall the pacing of the picture and the little bit of plot that is there makes the film, for lack of a better word, entertaining. ****(out of five)

Acting: Nothing worthy of an Oscar, a Golden Globe, or a Blockbuster Award (joking on that one) comes out of this film. Its also worth noting that no one was acting poorly either. Everyone was doing their usual: Harvey Keitel was acting like Harvey Keitel, Bill Paxton was acting like Bill Paxton, and Matthew McConaughey was acting like Matthew McConaughey. Although I couldn't understand them, it seemed that the best acting was coming from the crew of the German U-boat. Don't be fooled into believing that the acting wasn't satisfactory. In fact it was beyond satisfactory, it just wasn't worth any exuberant commendations. Of course, the actors are only working with the material that was in the script. ***1/2(out of five)

Directing: Jonathan Mostow(Breakdown, 1997) put the feeling that the script was lacking into the film. The best example of this is when the boat is being depth charged from above. Very, very suspenseful. Also worthy of praise is how claustrophobic the vessel felt and how confusing the entire ship was. Mostow did an excellent job with this movie. There isn't a scene in this picture that I disapprove of (well maybe the ending). ****1/2(out of five)

Music: This is the biggest film composer Richard Marvin has ever scored and it looks like it won't be his last. The music of this picture is best described as heroic. It has a nice deep sound that communicates the excitement and suspense of war. There are only a hand-full of points in the movie when the music seems out of place, but, unfortunately, those points LOSE points. ***1/2(out of five)

Special Effects: Visual Effects Supervisor Richard O. Helmer put together some of the best "invisible effects" to date. "Invisible effects" are the special effects that are so realistic and low-key that the audience can't tell they are there. In this film the submarines were mostly realized in miniatures, for the underwater scenes and when the sub was surfacing or diving,but for the shots when the crew is standing on the boat an actual sea-faring vessel had to be constructed with utmost scrutiny to detail. With the good there is also the bad. In one scene(I can't tell you which one because it would give away a plot point) the explosion isn't completely believable, there is something about it that screams special effect. The average audience member probably wouldn't even notice. ****1/2(out of five)

Bottom Line: This movie is no Das Boot, it's no Saving Private Ryan, and its no Thin Red Line, but one thing is for sure: it's really loud. This movie should be classified as an action film among the likes of Crimson Tide. Just sit back, relax, and let U-571 take you for a ride. ****(out of five)