An Enemy to Die For - Wenn aus Freunden Feinde werden

A German expedition is late in August 1939 going to the Norwegian arctic islands of Svaldbard (back then called Spitsbergen), trying to find proof of the theory that all land on Earth was connected before the land broke up in the continents we know today.

Just days after arriving, the tense European pre-war situation gets more tense, when Germany then invades Poland, and the Second World War starts. The expedition is German, and so is a couple of others, but the captain of the ship is Norwegian, and they also bring Russian crew, and a Swede and two Brits, among them a Jew. . What a setting for a dilemma! This fine company of strangers is persuaded to discuss the situation, while still continuing the job they are sent to do. Waiting to be contacted by their respective governments, since they are all part of a German expedition in wartime. The Geman government is commanding them to commit a military operation to help sinking an allied war ship with 1200 British soldiers on board, obviously ending the expedition's main goal.

It's a tense and promising setting for a war thriller, and the film succeeds in establishing the atmosphere. We get the feeling of being abandon in a situation from where you can't escape.

"An enemy to die for" is a Swedish/German film also funded by Norwegian and Nordic investors, and has a very interesting plot for an ensemble of very different scientists working together in the autumn of 1939.

The film has a fine European crew of actors all representing their original countries. Tom Burke, Axel Prahl, Sven Nordin, Alan Cordune, Jeanette Hain and Richard Ullfsæter are all contributing to make an interesting ensemble. Under instruction from the experienced actor and director Peter Dalle, which also has written the script, we see an exciting story unfold. Swedish Richard Ullsæter and Nowegian Sven Nordin are to be considered as the main characters, trying to prevent what is gong to happen.

But somehow the film doesn't bring anything new to the war thriller genre, which really also would be almost impossible. I still think the film was very enjoyable nd tense. The ground idea is still so good, that I can't help feel this could have been more intense and exciting. Me of those stories which would have been intense as a novel, but doesn't hit bulls eye as a film.

Just before the war, a small scientific vessel makes a journey to find some fossils to prove the existence of Pangaea. A mixed crew with a female German doctor, a Swedish explosives expert, a Norwegian captain. It's soon gets claustrophobic in the narrow corridors on the ship as the news from the continent reaches the small boat. Who is to trust and who has hidden agendas? It's a mix of Das Boot, Smilla's Sense of Snow and Under Siege.

The graphics are nice as well as the gear that looks 1939. The acting is not bad but not really exceptional. There are some interesting characters for example Allan Corduner, a Jewish scientist, that get some of the best lines. The special effects are not Hollywood and sometimes feels like an old TV show in quality.

I think watching the movie get you a new perspective on the pre-WW2 mentality.

It's hard to pigeon-hole this movie - suspense? Action? Thriller? Drama? None of the above? Certainly it has all of the above elements, but is not any one off them.

The story begins with a 1939 German-led scientific expedition with Brit and Swedish participants aimed at proving a theory about continental drift which goes haywire when members hear about the invasion of Poland. From this point what had been a mainly interpersonal drama - with several nice elements and a few excellent characterisations - moves into action and intrigue; more I will not say for fear of being branded a blab and nevermore allowed to insert my tuppence-worth here.

There are some very good characters, and some potentially excellent that didn't quite come off. I found the acting of high standard for the most part, but I feel that the script let the cast down by not giving them the scope to develop and project. I also feel that the script did not adequately establish the storyline - establishing scenes in a Nazi Ministry and a Brit Admiral's office bemused, bothered and bewildered rather than laid foundations of plot and character.

After this the story got under way and, while maintaining interest through good, credible action sequences and developing situations, had the feel most of the time that the 'good guys' would inevitably win. How it actually turns out I leave to you to watch the movie and find out; take my word, you will find it worth the 105 minutes.

If you are limited to English, you will need either a dubbed or subtitled version; and the subtitles I have seen so far comprise machine-translated English and way-out-of-sync times. I am preparing a rectified English sub which I will post on allsubs.org.

in different manner. a scientific expeditions. the start of WWII. and the suspicions. complicated links between characters. well atmosphere. right manner to create and use tension. the result, a decent film who, remembering many other films about same theme, has the virtue to be convincing and gives a new dimension of war.and, maybe, this is its best virtue. because, in many scenes, it seems be the sketch of good intentions of director.

beautiful, nice, not extraordinary, honest. another page of war with slices of love story, thriller, action. a scientific expedition. beginning of war. fight for survive. and impressive images. result - a common film. not special but not bad. not extraordinary as actors performance but far to be disappointed. with some special effects and a theory about continents as clothes. with image of people - star dust and strange definition of enemy. a correct movie - only poor Russians are scapegoats - without great ambitions, full of crumbs from Hollywood similar themes but not prisoner of its. only sin - the fragile balance of action ingredients. but it is not so great problem at a general impression.