--- title: "Das Boot: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/das-boot/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/das-boot" critics_score: 81 critics_reviews: 9 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Das Boot (1981): what the critics said Critics' score 81 from 9 reviews: 7 positive, 2 mixed, 0 negative. Most critics praise Das Boot for making the cramped conditions aboard a German U-boat central to its tension. The reviews repeatedly single out the sound, camerawork and physical detail, with the depth-charge sequences drawing particular praise for conveying the crew’s vulnerability and the chaos of war. Several also value the film’s compassion: its attention to men working under pressure gives the action human weight, while the captain’s performance receives specific recognition. The reservations concern the writing more than the technical execution, and the responses range from enthusiastic praise to qualified approval. Time Out admires the claustrophobic spectacle but finds the anti-war ironies trite, while Radio Times praises the action camerawork yet considers the characters beyond the captain underdeveloped. The main disagreement is therefore about how much the film achieves beyond suspense: its humanity and anti-war stance persuade most critics, but not all. ## Empire — Nick de Semlyen Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 1 January 2000. The critic praises the film's technical brilliance and humanism, noting how the depth charge sequence powerfully conveys the senseless chaos of war through sound and claustrophobic realism. It is described as one of the greats for its execution and anti-war message. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/empire-essay-das-boot-review/) ## RogerEbert.com — Roger Ebert Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 4 April 1997. Ebert highlights the film's intense, realistic portrayal of life aboard a cramped German U-boat during a harrowing WWII mission, praising its dispassionate depiction of the crew's experiences and the director's pure craftsmanship in building tension through sound and detail. [Read the review](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/das-boot-1997) ## The New York Times — Janet Maslin Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 10 February 1982. Maslin commends the film's critical attitude toward war combined with its quiet compassion and precise, verisimilar storytelling of a U-boat crew's mission, noting the sympathetic tone and strong performances, especially the captain's. [Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/1982/02/10/movies/das-boot-the-fortunes-of-a-u-boat.html) ## Variety — Variety Staff Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 1 January 1981. The review describes the expensive production as an authentic, life-or-death account of a single U-boat mission in 1941, emphasizing its descent into hellish conditions and the realistic portrayal of the crew under the captain. [Read the review](https://variety.com/1980/film/reviews/das-boot-1200425006/) ## Los Angeles Times — Kevin Thomas Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 2 August 1985. Thomas finds the extended version more grueling than the theatrical cut, but says its added length deepens the film’s anti-war message. He praises Jürgen Prochnow’s performance and the film’s claustrophobic depiction of the crew’s hardships. [Read the review](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1985-08-02-ca-5808-story.html) ## Radio Times — David Parkinson Rating 3/5. The critic finds it a tense U-boat epic based on real events, praising the camera work for action but complaining that characters besides the captain lack depth. [Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-399c4v/das-boot/) ## Time Out — GAd Fi1m's normalised score 60/100 (inferred from the text). 10 September 2012. Praises the claustrophobic spectacle and shooting style but finds the anti-war ironies trite. [Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/the-boat) ## HeyUGuys — Dave Roper Rating 5/5. 24 October 2011. The critic praises the Director's Cut for its seamless extension of the original, intense claustrophobia and tension in the action sequences, and its human portrayal of the crew under pressure. [Read the review](https://www.heyuguys.com/das-boot-the-directors-cut-bluray-review/) ## Eye for Film — Scott Macdonald Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 23 December 2006. The critic hails the film as a triumph and masterpiece that compellingly mixes tedium, terror and drama, singling out the suspenseful depth-charge sequences and the humanity amid the horror of war. [Read the review](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/das-boot-the-directors-cut-film-review-by-scott-macdonald) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/das-boot.md