Aside from the sheer improbability of it all, the film works if you're interested in an offbeat psychological treatment of enemy combatants suddenly caught up in a life or death situation threatening both sides. There's no real life scenario I can envision in which a German submarine crew saves Americans from their own destroyed vessel, so you have to make that mental leap to follow the story. The meningitis plot challenges the captain of the German sub (Til Schweiger) and American Chief of Boat Nathan Travers (William H. Macy) to find a way out of their predicament in an honorable way. To his credit, the German commander must dissuade his own crew from attacking the survivors, while Travers has the near impossible task of bringing his crew home following the death of their own Commander (Scott Caan). The attack by the German warship was an interesting element, although one does get distracted by the fake looking torpedoes and depth charges used in the production. For a real intense submarine war story, you really need to see the 1981 German film "Das Boot", and even though 1957's "The Enemy Below", is not as compelling, it's certainly more realistic than this one.

Warning: plot spoilers. William Macy gives us a credible role as the COB (Chief of the Boat) on an American submarine during WWII. The COB is the highest ranking enlisted man and is typically the voice of reason, controlling young brash officers, such as the captain of this boat. We contrast his "driver: style to that of the likable easy going U-Boat captain. The action takes place off the coast of the US in 1943 as U-Boats are sinking US ships. In this case, the American and German sub meet, and exchange torpedoes. The German sub is destroyed and American is damaged and sinking. During the attack the XO dies from meningitis, which he was nice enough to have shared with the captain. As fate would have it, there was a second U-boat in the area and the remaining American crew are picked up and held prisoner. The meningitis spreads and 2/3's of the German crew die. The German supply boat never shows up.

The captain of the U-Boat decides he needs to use the Americans to survive. His plan is to work together and head for the US shore and surrender as their only hope to survive. Macy, who by now is the American leader, and really wants to see his wife again, agrees to the Germans and Americans working together. The crew develops respect for each other, except for a hand full of Tea Party followers, filled with hate from listening to Hitler and Glenn Beck decide otherwise. (Okay, I am just kidding about Hitler.)

Predictable-yes. What I liked about the movie is that in spite of the cheap scenes, they stayed fairly accurate to sub life in general. Diesel boats would surface at night to recharge the battery running the diesel and then during the day run submerged on the battery.

The movie is fine for people who have been on subs such as myself, although I would knock off a star for most of you who haven't.

I have to admit, I was quite surprised to see a performance by a German actor in this and not find it annoying or bad! Talking about Til Schweiger ... I reckon there was a time where he had some fire in him. Not that it would rival anything De Niro or Pacino has done ... still that can not be the bar for all performances.

Overall quite the cast that assembled here. I can not fathom how the German dub works since this has German and English text in it. Americans speaking German in the dub but not understanding what the Germans are saying ... feels kind of ridiculous ... but whatever! Watch the original version if you can is what I always say. WIlliam H. Macy gives a subtle and very fine performance too ... it may feel a bit too rounded and not rough enough around the edges, but it is quite the interesting story ...