U-571

Calling a movie "claustrophobic" isn't usually praise, but in submarine pictures, claustrophobia is all. This tautly directed thriller doesn't take the submarine movie to new heights — or would that more properly be depths? — but you never forget that tons of water are pressing in on the leaking walls. And it's consistently suspenseful and well acted, even though you can rest assured that a remark like, "Mother of God, those Germans know how to make a submarine," is the cue for rivets to start popping. A small crew of American sailors is conscripted for a special mission: They must board a crippled German U-boat and capture a coveted Enigma code machine. The...