Well made and interesting, but know it's basically lengthy love drama

What a great idea to explore what was behind these duels: Who were these people? What were they fighting for? And while the movie is made with much class and great acting, it still felt like a love-triangle-jealousy kind of thing which almost is a bit soapy at times.

So close to being great

This would have been a bomb if it had a more original, imaginative story. Now it's just a good, quite scary and beautiful looking movie.

A good movie about something bad

Needless to say a rather depressing affair, but it isn't dwelling in it's misery. There's a (intentional?) contrast with the sunny beach, mellow light and ordeal that is taking place. The developing relationship with the ruthless captain and the boys worked for me.

Flawed but effective war action

I thought the main hero was a bit of a dissonant cardboard pretty boy, and the uninterested, TV watching ground support team was just preposterous. Other that that, it still is a tense, heart pounding movie, in a way that only war movies seem to tickle me.

Bizarre and modest at the same time

I think I'd call it horror, which is uncanny, bizarre and disturbing but at the same time very plain, pure and subtle and without ever becoming cheap. And I finally liked Noomi Rappace, who looks and acts fantastic here.