The Bunker (2001)

Seven German soldiers are enclosed in one bunker during the Second World War. They soon feel surrounded by enemies. When they hear about the tunnel-system beneath the bunker and some mystic... See full summary »

Director:

Rob Green

Writer:

Clive Dawson

Stars:

Jason Flemyng, Andrew Tiernan, Christopher Fairbank

2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jason Flemyng	...	Cpl. Baumann
Andrew Tiernan	...	LCpl. Schenke
Christopher Fairbank	...	Sgt. Heydrich
Simon Kunz	...	Lt. Krupp
Andrew Lee Potts	...	Pvt. Neumann
John Carlisle	...	Pvt. Mirus
Eddie Marsan	...	Pfc. Kreuzmann
Jack Davenport	...	LCpl. Ebert
Charley Boorman	...	Pfc. Franke
Nicholas Hamnett	...	Pvt. Engels
Peter McNeil O'Connor	...	Corporal 1 (as Peter O'Connor)
Josh Cole	...	Corporal 2
Iain McKee	...	Private
Nicholas Rutherford	...	Deserter (as Nick Rutherford)
Simon D'Arcy	...	SS officer (as Simon Darcy)

Storyline

Seven German soldiers are enclosed in one bunker during the Second World War. They soon feel surrounded by enemies. When they hear about the tunnel-system beneath the bunker and some mystic events that had occurred in this place, they soon begin to go mad...

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Plot Keywords:

bunker | soldier | tunnel | ardennes | german army | 

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Taglines:

The evil is within.

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Genres:

Drama | Horror | Mystery | Thriller | War

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for violence

Details

Official Sites:

Official Website

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

27 September 2002 (UK)

Also Known As:

Bunker

Filming Locations:

Black Park Country Park, Wexham, Buckinghamshire, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

Millennium Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

95 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

During their first night in the bunker, when Kreuzmann is expressing his worries to Ebert about an American attack and the bunker being "not quite right," at the end of the conversation he says "God with us." Aside from being an obvious religious statement, it also refers to the saying that was inscribed on Germany Army belt buckles: "Gott mit uns" or "God with us." This was also common inscription on armour in the German military until the end of the Third Reich, and has a history and usage in Germany dating back as far as the Teutonic Order.

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Goofs

When Schenke fires his P38, the slide locks back, indicating the magazine is empty. Yet he fires a few rounds more in the next scene, without any reload in between.

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Quotes

Lt. Krupp: [after announcing their orders to hold the bunker with low ammo and no reinforcements] This time they will not have the element of surprise.
LCpl. Ebert: They don't need surprise if there's an armoured column heading straight for...
Lt. Krupp: Where is this armoured column coming from?
LCpl. Ebert: OH, COME ON! The same place they did! We don't know what's going on at the front.

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Connections

References Suspiria (1977)

User Reviews

Could Have Been Better

I heard about THE BUNKER as soon as it came out ( Being a British movie it would have received far more publicity here than it did in America ) and it seemed to split the critics right down the middle . Some people thought it was a great and atmospheric horror movie while others thought it was a confused cross genre story . Some critics thought it was a good idea to let the cast talk in their native accents while others were puzzled why a bunch of British soldiers are wearing German uniforms fighting against the Americans !

I don't have any problems with the British accents and idioms such as pronouncing the rank of Leutnant as " Left-ten-ant " but I do have a problem trying to identify with the characters . They're Germans from the mid 1940s , they're " the enemy " and even though they're doing a soldier's duty the audience can't think of them as anything but bad guys . It's the same with the very similar THE KEEP where the audience wonder who they're supposed to be rooting for . Perhaps if the characters were Volkstrum protecting Germany from the Red Army this aspect could have worked better but as it stands it's difficult to feel sorry for the characters . Incidentally aren't the surnames Franke and Engels of Jewish descent ?

Ironically enough while watching this I found myself often wishing that this was either a straightforward horror film or a straightforward war film . The early action scenes are very well directed by Rob Green while the scenes set in the dark catacombs are certainly atmospheric but it's the revelation at the end that you suddenly realise that THE BUNKER is neither a war film nor horror film but a ghost story mixed in with a redemption plot and its at this point you are allowed to decide if the film is successful or not and I'm afraid that it failed for me , an interesting failure but still a failure . Some people have complained it would have been better if the soldiers had faced zombies or something more horrific and I agree . Certainly it would have made for a more ridiculous less thoughtful film but would also have made for a more memorable and entertaining movie .