10 Best War Films NOT About The US Military

When Germany invaded Russia in 1941, the expectation that Russia would be knocked out quickly failed to be met, so the Germans concentrated their attacks on resource-rich cities. Stalingrad was the biggest of these. Beginning in late 1942, the Soviets mounted a desperate defence and the battle dragged on for five months with over two million casualties.

This gruelling struggle is the topic of Enemy at the Gates, a fictional account starring Jude Law as Vasily Zaytsev and Ed Harris as Erwin Konig as they embark on a deadly sniper duel.

The opening is especially memorable in war cinema, with Zaytsev and his comrades forced to charge at the enemy head on with little weapons or training. Soon however, the focus pivots as the two marksmen attempt to outwit the other. Enemy at the Gates is not without its problems; most notably some historical inaccuracies and trying to shoe-horn in a weak love story, but in terms of portraying the vicious combat on the eastern front, it remains a capable effort.

The cat and mouse tension that ensues between Vasili and and Erwin is the backbone of the story, making for an unpredictable conflict with one of the bloodiest battles in history raging in the background.