Enemy at the Gates

Enemy at the Gates is a film directed by Jean-Jacques Annaud. The main character of the film is Vassili, who is played by Jude Law. Vassili is a shepherd from Urals. He becomes the Russian’s best sniper and is forced to a duel with the German’s best sniper, Major Konig, played by Ed Harris. This occurs during the battle at Stalingrad from September 20, 1942 to February 3, 1943 during World War II.

The film opens with the eyes of a wolf being seen between the boughs of a snowy tree. A boy is taught by his grandfather, how to kill the wolves that prey upon their flock of sheep. He is given one shot to kill the wolf and he freezes. The next scene is a young man in military uniform on a train headed for Stalingrad. It is September 20, 1942. On this train is Tania, played by Rachel Weisz, who later becomes his love interest.

The next scenes are very graphic. They consisted of the Russian soldiers on that train, getting off and having to cross a river, which contained bloody corpses, some of which were dismantled. There were planes overhead dropping bombs. Some of the soldiers attempted to go back and their captains shot and killed them for being cowards. The main character is seen charging forward against the Germans without a gun. The Russians did not have enough rifles for all their soldiers. All the while the Germans are shooting. The Germans even shot at the heap of dead soldiers to make sure they were dead.

Vassili meets Danilov, played by Joseph Fiennes, in the heap of dead bodies, where they both are hiding. Danilov gives Vassili a rifle and asks him if he knows how to shoot. Vassili says he knows a little. Through his peephole we see a couple German captains and some soldiers, which he shoots in the head one by one. Not bad for someone who can shoot a little. Then Danilov uses Vassili for the Russian propaganda to help other soldiers see that there is hope. The Germans want to end the Russian propaganda so they send Major Konig to Stalingrad to kill Vassili. This is ironic, because the Germans used so much propaganda themselves.

Vassili learns of Major Konig hunting him and loses confidence. We see through Vassili’s flashback what happened to the wolf in the opening scene. He missed the wolf, which then attacked his grandfather’s horse. His grandfather took the rifle from him and shot both the wolf and the wounded horse. We then see Vassili as a boy apologizing with tears to his grandfather. This is an important scene, because it gives the audience insight into his desire to be a good marksman, which is to get his grandfather’s approval.

Tania decides to fight, rather than stay as an interpreter in the shelter, when she hears of her parents’ deaths. Her parents were lined up against a railing on a bridge and shot at once, by the Germans, to save bullets. They both fell into the river. The weight of the body of the one who died pulled the other one underwater to drown. Tania is the object of the love triangle between Danilov and Vassili. Tania loves Vassili and at one point risks her life trying to find him. Their lovemaking takes places between the other sleeping soldiers.

Vassili and Major Konig hunt each other through the ruins of Stalingrad. It seems like they are fighting their own personal war at times, but we are reminded of World War II through the bombs, the fires, and the tanks in the background. Sacha, played by Gabriel Marshall-Thomson, aids both of them. His loyalty lies in chocolate bars and his own country, which is Russia. The most shocking scene in this film is when Sacha is found hanging mid-air after being hung by Major Konig.

The movie ends with Danilov sacrificing himself as a target for Major Konig. So that Vassili knows where he is to shoot him. Vassili waits for him to come out of his sniper spot, waits for him to take off his hat, and kills him. Vassili and Tania are reunited. And, of course the allies win World War II.

Annaud uses Vassili and Major Konig to demonstrate the strategy of war for us. There are no rules as we can see from all the corpses covering the ground. We see a glimpse of hope as the two lovers are reunited and the war ends. This vivid portrayal of the insanity of war is a film all should see to remind us of how lucky we are.