He is excellent at building tension in such a way that the lives of the crew genuinely seem like they are on-the-line at virtually every turn. The skillful combination of editing and cinematography bring the viewer into the film in a way that few movies have accomplished. That feeling of being trapped in the small world of a U-Boat, waiting to kill or be killed by enemies that are relentlessly hunting you down comes across brilliantly.
The characters are another rich part of this film. They are not the hand-raising Nazis that proliferate in many WWII films, but real people who are frequently more cynical, tired and frustrated than anything. They are in the middle of a war that is slowly being lost and doing their duty because it is expected of them, not because they believe in their cause.
Das Boot is one long film, and if you opt for the director’s cut it lengthens out to a solid three-and-a-half hours. Though this may seem like quite a bit to digest, the way the film is crafted keeps it moving, even when the pace slows down. Though I have not seen it myself, there is also a mini-series cut that comes in at five hours. Das Boot is one classic film that should not be missed by anyone who is interested in WWII or just loves great films of all sorts.