The best war epics deftly balance stunning set pieces and immersive action sequences with a gripping narrative that plunges you right in the thick of the battle, but 2013’s Stalingrad only succeeded on the first front.
Not that an apathetic shrug from critics and audiences did a thing to dent the Russian blockbuster’s chances of success, with director Fyodor Bondarchuk’s recount of the titular battle that played a pivotal role in World War II proving to be every bit the smash hit it was predicted to be from the outset.