U-571

The DVD of Jonathon Mostow's underwater WWII thriller U-571 supports the film with an impressive range of extra features, including a widescreen, anamorphic transfer, Dolby Digital 5.1 and DTS Audio, and a commentary track with Mostow. Featurettes on the making of the film and the creation and construction of the U-571 submarine add more behind-the-scenes insight, but the disc's historical materials are richer and more rewarding. An exploration of the Enigma, the Axis powers' encryption device; archival U.S. naval film of the capture of U-505; anecdotes from a WWII submariner; and a featurette on the British capture of the U-110 (the story of which inspired U-571) are possibly more gripping -- as well as more historically accurate -- than the film itself. At any rate, the DVD gives equal attention to U-571 and the events on which it was based, making the disc worthwhile to action fans and historical buffs alike.