"A hero never chooses his destiny. His destiny chooses him." And movies like "Enemy at the Gates" are destined to become memorable.
It is World War II, the Soviet front. Jackbooted Nazis are storming into Stalingrad. The Red Army is desperate to keep its tenacious hold on the city, and for the Soviets, this is the most pivotal point of the war. Holding the city means hope of victory over Germany; accepting defeat means the end of the Motherland as the Evil Empire swarms over the Soviet Union. Inexperienced and untested young men and women are hurled into the German lines only to be mowed down under a blistering hailstorm of bullets. Upon retreat, these young soldiers' superiors shoot them as deserters. Facing fire from both sides, the disheartened troops collapse.
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When it appears all hope is lost, Nikita Krushchev (Bob Hoskins) assumes command of the tattered remains of the Red Army. Switching tactics, he hopes to motivate his troops with the promise of victory instead of the fear of death. A young political officer, Danilov (Joseph Fiennes), takes charge of the propaganda effort. Using a simple country boy, Vassily Zaitsev (Jude Law), a young sniper with more than 30 officer kills, Danilov creates a hero for all of the Soviet Union to look up to and rally around.
Yet when Vassily becomes more and more famous, Danilov gets jealous. The rift between them grows wide and deep when both fall in love with the same woman, fellow soldier Tania (Rachel Weisz). In the meantime, the Nazis have sent their best sniper, Major Koenig (Ed Harris), to kill Vassily, who has become a large thorn in the side of the Third Reich. As the battle for Stalingrad (and, in effect, all of the Soviet Union) rages around them, Vassily and Koenig are locked in a deadly duel, the outcome of which could alter the course of the war.
From the very first scene to the last flicker of the credits, "Enemy" has all the earmarks of an amazing World War II film. Though it does not rival the gore of "Saving Private Ryan," "Enemy" has its full share of gruesome cadavers, especially in the opening scenes. Rather than creating an action-packed adventure, director Jean-Jacques Annaud ("Seven Years in Tibet") allows Alain Godard's story to drive the movie. The lack of action is reason for praise. Most snipers are naturally quiet, thoughtful and careful people, and the way they perform their jobs reflects their personalities. As such, there is no room for overdone special effects and big explosions. Even so, "Enemy" is wrought with tension and suspense as Vassily and Koenig slowly stalk each other.
Not to be forgotten, however, is the well-crafted love triangle between Tania, Danilov and Vassily. In many movies, a dual plot such as this one might detract from the main story line, but, under the guidance of Annaud and Godard, this secondary story only enhances the tension and drama of the first.
Though Annaud and Godard deserve much of the credit for this masterpiece, the performances turned in by Law (of "The Talented Mr. Ripley" fame), Fiennes (star of "Shakespeare in Love"), Weisz ("The Mummy") and Harris ("The Truman Show") are spectacular.
After bursting onto the Hollywood scene in "Ripley," Law proves his mettle in "Enemy". Through extensive sniper training, he acquired the technical ability necessary for the role. And as Annaud notes, this, combined with Law's presence on the screen (the look of "fierce intelligence and liveliness in his eyes" and his down-to-earth, introspective air), allows him to become Vassily.
Fiennes plays the tragic character of the movie extremely well, getting inside the head of Danilov and showing his internal conflict between his duty to country and friend and his own desires.
Weisz perhaps has one of the hardest roles. By playing Tania, she is asked to be physically attractive and, at the same time, fully competent with a rifle. Responding wonderfully, Weisz captures the attention of everybody in the movie and those watching it. In what might be one of the most original love scenes ever filmed, her facial expressions give it both believability and beauty.
On the side of the battlefield opposite the Russians, with his piercing blue eyes and quiet, cold, arrogant demeanor, Harris is the perfect Nazi.
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In a gutsy move, Annaud asks his actors not to fake what would be the cliched sinister-sounding German and gruff Russian accents found in most movies. Instead, he allows them to use their natural voices, and rather than distracting from their characters, this tactic allows them to focus more on becoming the role, rather than simply demonstrating shallow acting skills. This move on Annaud's part allows the movie to reach its maximum potential.
While "Enemy" is based on a true story - Vassily Zaitsev was a real and very successful sniper for the Red Army - much of the lore surrounding him is thought to have been exaggerated by the immense Soviet propaganda machine. However, regardless of whether every detail is historically accurate, "Enemy" tells a tale begging to be told and, in doing so, conveys truth about the nature of man.
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