Year: 2000
Runtime: 116 min
Language: English
Director: Jonathan Mostow
During World War II, an American Navy team led by Lieutenant Andrew Tyler is tasked with a perilous mission: to seize a vital German U-boat and its advanced Enigma machine. After the U-boat sinks, the team successfully boards it, but their presence is quickly discovered. A tense battle ensues as they struggle to secure the Enigma device and escape the crippled submarine before a pursuing German destroyer arrives, threatening to destroy everything.
Get a spoiler-free look at U-571 (2000) with a clear plot overview that covers the setting, main characters, and story premise—without revealing key twists or the ending. Perfect for deciding if this film is your next watch.
During the relentless storm of World War II, the Atlantic becomes a theater of silent dread, where unseen predators stalk the vital supply lanes. The Allied war effort is haunted by a German submarine menace that threatens to choke the flow of men and material. Against this backdrop, an uneasy alliance of daring sailors and intelligence officers is assembled for a covert assignment that could tilt the balance of the hidden code war.
At the heart of the operation is Andrew Tyler, a talented but restless lieutenant yearning for a command of his own. His recent disappointment over a missed promotion fuels a quiet determination to prove himself, while the weight of responsibility pulls him toward a leadership role he never asked for. Alongside him, seasoned crew members bring a mix of technical expertise and hardened resolve, creating a tight‑knit team that must rely on each other’s strengths in the cramped, steel‑clad world beneath the waves.
The mission hinges on infiltrating a captured German U‑boat to retrieve the coveted Enigma machine, the key to decoding enemy communications. Among the crew, a multilingual radioman—Wentz—offers the crucial linguistic edge, while the seasoned officer Dahlgren provides seasoned strategic counsel. The atmosphere aboard their own vessel is a blend of tight‑lipped confidence and barely concealed anxiety, as the men prepare to slip into the enemy’s domain under the cover of darkness.
What awaits them is a test of endurance, ingenuity, and the fragile trust that binds a crew together when the ocean itself seems intent on swallowing them whole. The film’s tone balances gritty realism with a simmering suspense, inviting the audience to feel the claustrophobic pressure of the submarine steel and the ever‑present pulse of an unseen war beneath the surface.
Last Updated: August 10, 2025 at 12:41
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