evpbus

None of the reviews I have read mentions the opening scene of citizens (including children) receiving aid from rescuers who free them from buildings partially destroyed due to the the effects of a Tsunami, in which a rescuer tells a child that he had five fathers. This scene from recent history precedes the WWII setting in which we see the arrival of German soldiers in Stalingrad. The lack of a tie-in did not affect my appreciation of this stunning portrayal of soldiers battling for control of Stalingrad. Few WWII movies measure up to its standards. Among those mentioned, I would add "Letters From Iwo Jima."

Inspite of the clichés that kept adding up, I continued watching this movie, finding it a refreshing relief from the loud and mean movies we keep getting from Hollywood (the ones where everyone acts as if its normal to flaunt the sex and to use gutter language when talking with your parents or children.) The religious themes didn't slam me in the face but were more like an undercurrent. While ithe identity of the stranger was obvious halfway through the movie, still it was a pleasant experience. I was glad to see Mariette Hartley. What I can't figure out is why the actor who played the stranger was omitted from IMDb's listing of the cast.