Das Boot

A U-Boat takes to the seas in search of British vessels to sink. Things take a turn for the worse when the hunter becomes the hunted.

I can’t believe it’s taken me all these years to finally watch this, but to be frank when things push far past a 3-hour run time it gets hard to just find the time.

Well I’m glad I did make time for it because it’s a masterclass in sustained suspense the likes of which you very rarely see. Das Boot hardly ever lets up on its characters, stuck in the confines of a submarine hopelessly searching the oceans for something to strike out at. Whenever Peterson eases the pressure ever so slightly, it comes back twice as hard within minutes.

It’s an incredibly detailed account of what these submariners must have gone through in the war, and it’s essential viewing on all levels from its great performances to its memorable score.

Only you will know if you’re up for watching a super long, murky nail-biting nightmare of a film but if that sounds even remotely interesting you could do much worse than Das Boot.