Steel Tempest

Sorry, but I am a film and history buff (particularly WWII) and I can tell you this film is up and down. On the up side, there is a story and all the equipment is authentic, but there are many missing things. I was surprised at the end as it said the Ardennes offensive. Really? It looked like Spring (even summer) not the middle of winter. Then everything was dragged out and spiralled downwards. Attempts at action was low-budget and if you don't mind that, then you will enjoy the film, but if you want a great war film, this is not one of them.

Don't believe me? Check out the ratings. Better yet, watch the film and judge for yourself.

I knew nothing about this before viewing and purchased the DVD from an out of print DVD merchant in the USA. The movie takes place on the Western Front in December 1944. An SS unit called the Second Abteilung must take a bridge, move into a city (apparently French)capture supplies, and wait for the panzers to arrive. Although "Ardennes offensive" or "Battle of the Bulge" is never referred to, it is obvious from internal evidence that the film takes place two days before the famous bad weather cleared and the day after it did when Allied aircraft were unleashed full force (that caused the Germans to retreat) Having lived in Britain for six years and participated in a couple of historical recreation groups, I concluded early on that the actors were themselves from a British historical recreation group which I believe from the end titles is called the Second Battle Group. The acting is competent and the group has done amazing things with the resources they had. The flavor of the times is there and the movie focuses on small unit actions at platoon strength down to squad level. There is no encumbering love interest here. Just men and war. The crew has done a great job on details that will please war enthusiasts and it does convey a certain degree of realism in small unit actions. This is not "Where Eagles Dare," but a competent independent film that clocked in, I believe, at about 70 minutes. Filmed in Scotland and on military training grounds in Hampshire.

Worst WWII movie of all time. Crappy CGI, no recoil when rifles or machine guns were firing, absolutely no markings on the tanks or half tracks. OMG, and I didn't know that the UN fought on the side of the Germans in WWII. A lot of the Germans were wearing BLUE SMURF helmets in this abomination. They must have bought them at the German army surplus store on the way to the shoot. Earlier today I watched 1939 The Battle of Westerplatte. That movie was just a C hair above this stinker. Awful, awful movie, so why am I still watching this? I'm a glutton for punishment I guess.

Everyone involved in this stinker tried to make it a good film. You can see that even with low production values the movie was not to be a comedy but a serious project. I liked the look of the German uniforms yet they were not true to the history of the war. My review on letterboxed, the only one for this film says: The actual look of the Germans in this honest effort is ok for a film that is not so good. The film is not a joke and you can tell the producers and all involved were serious in making this not for prime time film. I did not like it much. It is in whole a piece of crap just like my review is. Do not have the flick and saw it on Amazon Prime.

just as 'plan 9 from outer space' is!

the plot is based on the battle of the bulge. the script is dire...'we need more ammo' blah blah is repeated endlessly. the 'actors' all seem to have retired after making this crap. bob carruthers has obviously got all the gear and props right, pity someone didn't splash out for some blanks for the guns as men pointing rifles without a puff of smoke or recoil is pathetic. its easy for me to say this is the worst ww2 film I've ever seen.

this is just a 'ooh look at all this ww2 equipment we have...lets make a feature film with it'

the film ends pretty abruptly with one of the most laughable banzai heil Hitler suicide charges...well i say charge, more like nearly a footstep!