This movie depicts wartime experiences aboard a German U-boat, specifically the U-96, with Jürgen Prochnow portraying the captain. The vessel departs from La Rochelle, France, setting course for the North Atlantic and eventually tasked with navigating the Strait of Gibraltar. Viewers witness the difficult and cramped existence faced by the crew as they endure both positive and negative events. The central question becomes: which of these men will survive? “Das Boot,” released in 1981, offers a realistic portrayal of life on a U-boat during World War II—the confined spaces, monotony, unsanitary conditions, intense fear, and the absence of women. A particularly striking moment occurs when the submarine surfaces after sinking two ships within a British convoy; the scene conveys an atmosphere of devastation. The narrative concentrates on the German sailors within the restricted confines of the U-boat, demonstrating how a captivating film can arise from such a narrow dramatic perspective. Although classified as a war movie, it avoids any glorification of conflict, presenting itself as “anti-war” through its depiction of the reality for submariners. The runtime is 2 hours and 29 minutes, and filming took place in various locations including the North Sea near Heligoland, the Atlantic Ocean, La Rochelle, France, and Bavaria, Germany. GRADE: B

Source on TMDB