Plot

Four American soldiers and one Brit fighting in Europe during World War II struggle to return to Allied territory after being separated from U.S. forces during the historic Malmedy Massacre.

After surviving a massacre in Malmedy, a location behind the German army in Europe, four American soldiers with only one weapon rescue the British pilot Oberon Winley (Kirby Heyborn) in a tree and they move together, trying to reach the allied forces and save a great number of allied soldiers from a German attack with the information got by Winley in his flight. While marching, each soldier discloses inner secrets to the rest of the group.—Claudio Carvalho, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Based on actual WWII events, the award-winning "Saints and Soldier" tells the dramatic story of a small band of Allied soldiers trapped behind enemy lines with information that could save thousands of allied lives. Outgunned and ill-equipped, they must now battle a frigid wilderness and roving German troops to smuggle the critical intelligence back to allied territory. In mid-December 1944, Hitler's Army charges through the Ardennes Forest in Belgium, initiating the offensive that will come to be known as the Battle of the Bulge. The German soldiers open fire on the unarmed prisoners, in the tragic event now known as the Malmedy Massacre. Corporal Nathan "Deacon" Greer, his friend Gordon Gunderson and a handful of others survive the massacre by playing dead and escaping into the nearby woods. The small band of soldiers come across stranded British intelligence officer Oberon Winley, who has valuable information to be delivered to Allied forces, increasing the urgency of their already desperate situation. The group forms a fragile bond as they begin to trust each other. But the constant threat of capture, as well as mounting suspicions of a German sympathizer within the group, threaten to tear them apart. Now with few weapons, no food and a strained camaraderie, this tiny band must take on the unforgiving winter and a forest filled with enemy troops to fight their way back to Allied occupied territory.—moviefan

Four American soldiers fighting in Europe during World War II are separated from U.S. forces during the historic Malmedy Massacre. Most of their fellow soldiers are slaughtered by German forces, leaving them stranded and without support behind enemy lines.—Anonymous

Malmedy massacre takes place, and some American soldiers manage to escape from their German captors into the nearby forest. The Malmedy massacre was a German war crime committed by soldiers of the Waffen-SS on 17 December 1944 at the Baugnez crossroads near the city of Malmedy, Belgium, during the Battle of the Bulge. Soldiers of Kampfgruppe Peiper summarily killed eighty-four U.S. Army prisoners of war (POWs) who had surrendered after a brief battle. The Waffen-SS soldiers had grouped the U.S. POWs in a farmer's field, where they used machine guns to shoot and kill the grouped POWs.

During the escape, Corporal Nathan "Deacon" Greer (Corbin Allred) manages to disarm a German soldier but does not shoot him - even at the insistence of medic Private Steven Gould (Alexander Niver). Deacon can speak a little bit of German.

Gould and Deacon are joined by two other survivors, Private Shirley "Shirl" Kendrick (Larry Bagby) and Staff Sergeant Gordon "Gundy" Gunderson (Peter Asle Holden). Gunderson explains it would be better to hide out until the Allies retake the area and the four hide out in an abandoned building. They have 1 German rifle and 4 rounds of ammunition for protection. On their way they find that the Germans had even mowed down an US ambulance.

Deacon is constantly having hallucinations of dead people coming in front of him every time he shuts his eyes for sleep, but he hides this from everyone. When a German patrol comes along, the soldiers hide under the floor. While there, Deacon loosely translates a German message about a downed plane in the area. Leaving after the Germans, the Americans find British pilot Flight Sergeant Oberon Winley (Kirby Heyborne). Winley is suspicious that he has been found by Germans and tests their knowledge by asking about the names of US Presidents and the capital of Vermont.

Winley explains he has important intelligence he has to get back to the Allies and the group decide to try and reach the Allied lines some 20 miles away. Winley says that he was on reconnaissance mission and had take photos of German troop movements. He says that the Germans are headed to cross the river Meuse and plan to take the city of Liege, which has the biggest German ammo dump outside of Germany. With the ammunition, Germans will then take on Antwerp. Gould is not supportive, but Gunderson says that the mission can save many lives and decides to press forward. Kendrick needs a smoke, but Winley is rude and arrogant and won't share his supplied with Kendrick.

While on point, Deacon has a hallucination and breaks down. Deacon has not slept in 4 days. Gunderson explains that Deacon had inadvertently, when clearing a building while street fighting, killed two women and six children recently. Deacon reveals to Gunderson that his wife is pregnant back home. Gould begins to criticize Deacon for not shooting the German and for being religious. Deacon offers him his Bible which Gould refuses. Deacon says that Gould is asking too many questions for someone who is not interested in faith.

Shortly afterwards, Kendrick falls through the roof of an old building that had been covered by the snow. Looking for shelter, Gunderson enters a house and finds a woman and girl who speak French, Catherine (Melinda Renee) and Sophie Theary (Ruby Chase O'Neil). A coming snowstorm causes Gunderson to surmise that the Germans will be pinned down and immobilized. He suggests staying the night, but Winley insists that he must get the information to the Allied troops and leaves during the storm. The others are sure he will die in the cold.

Catherine brings some bread to the soldiers. While with the soldiers, two Germans arrive and Catherine talks to them. One German starts scouting the building while the other attempts to sexually assault Catherine. She yells and Deacon kills one German as the other runs into the woods. Winley returns with this German as his prisoner. Deacon recognizes the German as Rudolph (Ethan Vincent), a convert during his mission serving as a minister for his Church in Berlin. Deacon understands then why he, who was well known for never failing to hit what he aimed at, missed Rudolph.

In the morning, Deacon has let Rudolph go, after Rudolf had told him where the Germans lines were and how to get through them. With captured weapons they set out but soon encounter a small group of German soldiers. Gunderson is fatally shot by a sniper, whom Deacon then kills. More Germans attack and Winley is hit in the leg. During the firefight the Allied group is split in two. While carrying Winley, Kendrick is shot in the stomach and dies. Winley kills the German and, trying to hobble away, falls into a river. Deacon and Gould find him. While they care for Winley, Rudolph finds them and tells them where there is a jeep, and an escape route they could use with it closer to the Allied lines, then goes off in the direction of the pursuing Germans.

The three remaining Allied soldiers, now dressed as German soldiers, get in the jeep and head toward the German lines. They manage to talk their way past a German guard (as Deacon speaks fluent German) but when they veer towards the American lines the Germans open fire. Speeding toward the safety of the American lines (where observers work out they are Allied soldiers) the jeep is overturned by mortar fire. Deacon gives covering fire as Gould and Winley head for safety. Deacon is killed by a sniper but the other two make it through and the important intelligence is passed on to headquarters.

As Gould sees Deacon's body being carried away, he takes out Deacon's Bible, places the photo of Deacon's wife into Deacon's hands and keeps the book, which Deacon had offered to him earlier. Gould encounters a now captured Rudolph, nods to him, and then helps an injured German soldier whom he recognizes from the massacre at the start of the film.