The Wolf's Call

I found it very unpredictable right up to the very end. Really enjoyed it. The characters were all week played too. If you enjoyed Hunt for Red October or K19 you'll love this.

This movie depicts a topical and realistic situation, with the codes of most major big-budget movie. The cast is well chosen and overall does a good job of portraying what many would expect the French navy to be like. But in my opinion, the most successful trait of the movie is its storyline, stemming from contemporary stakes, which I've rarely seen in military/tactical movies, which instead tend to focus on past historical events or on more far-fetched futuristic scenarios. I think that's the reason the story is so compelling, and why I personally found the movie so immersive.

Submarine movie genre is quite unique in France, I just remember having seen 40 years ago the René Clément "les Maudits" (with a terrific scene), I really don't remember another french title dealing with submarines. Even in Hollywood, it's a seldom exploited theme. And we have the opportunity to discover a kind of french Joel Silver production, but without Bruce Willis or other great star. And that's cool, all cast is fine (Francis Lavil as the special acoustic young specialist), but real special bravo to director Antonin Baudry and his team : first direction, complete solid and technical direction, tragic suspense, a never seen geo political subject in french cinema. Go on Mr Baudry, we're waiting for your next movie.

Reading the reviews here, it seems to be a love it or hate it movie - I don't understand why. I grew up watching the original Das Boot as TV series and went through all the submarine movies. Instead of comparing the incomparable and saying what is flawed etc., I simply want to point out what I liked watching this movie twice:

• refreshing actor set, no B-movie characters just like "could be your neighbour" type
• storyline that could happen, although we normal people would never hear about it
• great music/ambience perfectly fitting the setting
• straightforward effects, less is more
• happy end without happy end, evoked emotions
• overall a very refreshing, non-cliche Hollywood-type movie.

Very engaging film. From start to finish it hooked me and there was never a dull moment. Good actors, well thought out plot with excellent follow through in its development.

Will watch again and highly recommend it.