ENEMY AT THE GATES

A simplified ”happy” hero’s story based on a real Red Army recruit in WWII whose sharpshooting skills helped demoralize the Nazis and rally the Russians during the Battle of Stalingrad. The role of the shepherd-turned-sniper is immeasurably amped by the grubby beauty of Jude Law. The Germans pull out their own big guns and force him into a showdown with an equally talented Nazi shooter (a quiet Ed Harris). Director Jean-Jacques Annaud and cinematographer Robert Fraisse take great pains with their panoramic, meticulously plotted combat scenes, but the greatest pains are taken over lighting the gold-flecked eyes of Law, the burning blue peepers of Harris and, for good measure, the chocolatey brown orbs of Joseph Fiennes, in a thankless prop role as a political officer. C+