Enemy at the Gates is a film about the pivotal point in Hitler’s invasion of Russia. There are two books that should be read before seeing this film from a historical viewpoint; one is by Theodore Pliever and the other by Anthony Beevor.
The central character played by Jude Law did in fact exist and was a simple man with a single minded and deadly talent. Sniping can be taught but there are those who are born with the ability. Law’s character, Private Zaitsev is one of these men and the film explores his exploitation by Joseph Fiennes character Danilov, a political commissar who he meets during an abortive attack on German positions in Stalingrad.
Realising Zaitsev’s abilities can raise the morale of the flagging Red Army troops, Danilov begins to mould a mystique around Zaitsev proclaiming to the world how many officers the wonder sniper has killed this week. Propaganda would certainly have been used to a degree to hearten the troops but this film shows it in a far too pat a manner for my liking.
As Zaitsev’s legend grows the German High Command send the commander of the 6th Army the services of Major Koenig. Koenig is a product of the German Sniper school and before the war trained Russian snipers as part of a exchange programme (a nice touch obviously from good research as such exchanges did take place). The role is played by Ed Harris who is absolutely superb in the role of a haughty, proud yet incredibly brutal man, a brutality which is ably demonstrated towards the climax of the film.
The sniper scenes are superb set pieces, shot amongst marvellously convincing sets of the destroyed city of Stalingrad. Even the opening combat scene where Zaitsev meets Danilov maintains a similar quality. It also shows the brutality with which Stalin and the political officers treated the raw troops that were being flung into the maelstrom called Stalingrad.
Did I enjoy this film? The answer is a simple yes. Although there was the classic love triangle between Danilov, Zeitsev and Tania, a female sniper who is played by Rachel Weisz which I found totally uninspiring the story itself makes it a film worth watching. It is competently played out by all three but is merely something inserted to make the film more palatable to the majority of the audience. The resignation on the face of Harris’ character is a marvel of acting ability. Definitely one to watch.