Das Boot

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Das Boot

R

Released Sep 17, 1981

2h 30m

War

Drama

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98%

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55 Reviews

95%

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25,000+ Ratings

A German submarine patrols the Atlantic Ocean during World War II, manned by a crew that must contend with tense conflicts and long stretches of confined boredom. While war correspondent Werner (Herbert Grönemeyer) observes day-to-day life aboard the U-boat, the grizzled captain (Jürgen Prochnow) struggles to maintain his own motivation as he attempts to keep the ship's morale up in the face of fierce battles, intense storms and dwindling supplies.

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Critics Consensus

Taut, breathtakingly thrilling, and devastatingly intelligent, Das Boot is one of the greatest war films ever made.

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Wael Khairy

RogerEbert.com

...enough nerve-wracking suspense to make your heart pound against your chest like depth charges rupturing a submarine's hull.

Jul 30, 2023

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Dwight Brown

Sepia

Das Boot's actors look like they have lived through every sneak attack and painful claustrophobic moment in this film.

Aug 10, 2022

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Scott Cain

Atlanta Journal-Constitution

This is the finest submarine movie ever made. Although director Wolfgang Petersen emphasizes the claustrophobia of undersea life, his above-surface scenes are powerful as well.

Nov 9, 2021

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Erick Estrada

Cinegarage

The outcome, no matter how you look at it, confirms that it's futile to return to war but that it's also impossible to escape it. [Full review in Spanish]

Jun 21, 2023

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Judy Stone

San Francisco Examiner

Director Wolfgang Petersen has rigorously discarded war movie clichés, both American and those of the Nazi regime, to show the very human fears and real courage of Germans who battled for, and lost, supremacy of the seas.

Rated: 3/4

Nov 11, 2021

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Tom Cassidy

Common Sense Media

Effective as an anti-war movie and as thrilling as any disaster flick, Das Boot is a humanistic masterpiece.

Rated: 5/5

Jun 21, 2021

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Madam D

Like any really good war movie, this shows the human toll & ignorance of war. Great writing, acting and special effects.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

03/21/25

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Texyz T

I saw this 3 times the first year it was out, 1981, in German with English subtitles. Then later they released it dubbed in English, and I saw it again. Very authentic looking scenes, big or small. Told from the German perspective, if you like war movies, this is as good as it gets, a masterpiece....and I need to see it again!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/20/25

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Ian S

Faultless. OK the water effects may be improved now, but otherwise can't fault it fir drama, humour, tension, claustrophobia. Amazing film I can watch again and again.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/19/25

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CodyZamboni Z

Solid WW2 German sub adventure, With, you are there, intense realism, Strong characters, Shocking and sobering, Movie really hammers home the futility of war message.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/12/25

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Jense K

10/10 absolutely brilliant.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/08/25

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Audience Member

Possibly the best war movie ever made. Simply breathtaking.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

01/14/25

Full Review

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Synopsis

A German submarine patrols the Atlantic Ocean during World War II, manned by a crew that must contend with tense conflicts and long stretches of confined boredom. While war correspondent Werner (Herbert Grönemeyer) observes day-to-day life aboard the U-boat, the grizzled captain (Jürgen Prochnow) struggles to maintain his own motivation as he attempts to keep the ship's morale up in the face of fierce battles, intense storms and dwindling supplies.

Director: Wolfgang Petersen
Producer: Günter Rohrbach, Ortwin Freyermuth
Screenwriter: Lothar G. Buchheim, Wolfgang Petersen, Dean Riesner
Distributor: RCA/Columbia, Columbia Pictures, Columbia TriStar Home Video
Production Co: Bavaria Film, Westdeutscher Rundfunk, Radiant Productions
Rating: R
Genre: War, Drama
Original Language: German
Release Date (Theaters): Sep 17, 1981, Original
Release Date (Streaming): May 1, 2012
Runtime: 2h 30m
Sound Mix: Dolby, Dolby Digital, SDDS, Surround
Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1

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