Delayed Reaction: U-571

The Pitch: Crimson Tide just wasn't interesting enough. Make another movie like that but Saving Private Ryan it up.

How I Came Into It: I had to keep reminding myself that this wasn't The Hunt for Red October. Needless, to say, I forgot that this had Matthew McConaughey.

Why I Saw It: (Club 50) This movie has good effects. Even the low quality recording I was watching (seriously, why even have a network if you can't put it in HD?) had a decent effect on me. These days, saying that McConaughey is a solid lead is assumed, but it's worth noting that he's always been able to carry a movie. The only thing that's changed is the quality of the movie he's tried to be in and how serious we as an audience decided to take him (Ok, Surfer Dude didn't help that).

Why I Wish I Hadn't: The modern war movie really should be defined in terms of Before or After Saving Private Ryan. For years after that movie came out, it was clear that the size would never be matched, so it was all about finding a new angle*. Enemy at the Gates took on sniping. Windtalkers ran with the Navajo Code stuff. U-571 did submarine warfare. The movie does a good job with this, but it feels like such a fringe topic, yet oddly, one that's been explored enough (Crimson Tide, Red October, Below) that it's pretty forgettable.

*The big exception being Pearl Harbor which tried to go big and still couldn't match Ryan's size, thus looking horribly inadequate by comparison.

Verdict (?): Weakly Don't Recommend