U-571
In the midst of World War II, the battle under the sea rages and the Nazis have the upper hand as the Allies are unable to crack their war codes. However, after a wrecked U-boat sends out an SOS signal, the Allies realise this is their chance to seize the 'enigma coding machine'.
Despite a moderate budget of $62.0M, U-571 became a financial success, earning $127.7M worldwide—a 106% return.
1 Oscar. 4 wins & 10 nominations
Plot Structure
Story beats plotted across runtime
Narrative Arc
Emotional journey through the story's key moments
Story Circle
Blueprint 15-beat structure
Arcplot Score Breakdown
Weighted: Precision (70%) + Arc (15%) + Theme (15%)
U-571 (2000) exhibits carefully calibrated dramatic framework, characteristic of Jonathan Mostow's storytelling approach. This structural analysis examines how the film's 15-point plot structure maps to proven narrative frameworks across 1 hour and 56 minutes. With an Arcplot score of 6.4, the film takes an unconventional approach to traditional narrative frameworks.
Characters
Cast & narrative archetypes
Lt. Andrew Tyler
Lt. Commander Mike Dahlgren
Chief Klough
Lt. Pete Emmett
Major Matthew Coonan
Seaman Ronald 'Rabbit' Parker
Tank 'Trigger' Tyler
Eddie Carson
Main Cast & Characters
Lt. Andrew Tyler
Played by Matthew McConaughey
Ambitious executive officer who must prove himself worthy of command when thrust into the captain's chair during a dangerous mission.
Lt. Commander Mike Dahlgren
Played by Bill Paxton
Experienced submarine captain who mentors Tyler before being killed in action, leaving his XO to take command.
Chief Klough
Played by Harvey Keitel
Veteran chief petty officer who initially doubts Tyler's leadership but becomes a crucial ally in the mission.
Lt. Pete Emmett
Played by Jon Bon Jovi
Naval officer and electronics expert tasked with retrieving the Enigma machine from the German U-boat.
Major Matthew Coonan
Played by David Keith
Marine officer leading the boarding party who provides combat expertise during the mission.
Seaman Ronald 'Rabbit' Parker
Played by Will Estes
Young, inexperienced sailor who struggles with fear but finds courage during the mission.
Tank 'Trigger' Tyler
Played by Jake Weber
Gun crew member and loyal sailor who supports the crew through the dangerous operation.
Eddie Carson
Played by Matthew Settle
Radioman and crew member who helps operate the captured German submarine.
Structural Analysis
The Status Quo at 1 minutes (1% through the runtime) establishes Lt. Andrew Tyler celebrates with his crewmates at a bar, expecting a promotion to command his own submarine. The camaraderie establishes his competence and ambition within the tight-knit submarine community.. The analysis reveals that this early placement immediately immerses viewers in the story world.
The inciting incident occurs at 14 minutes when The crew receives urgent orders: a German U-boat is disabled in the Atlantic with an intact Enigma cipher machine. They must disguise as Germans, board U-571, and capture the Enigma before a German resupply ship arrives.. At 12% through the film, this Disruption aligns precisely with traditional story structure. This beat shifts the emotional landscape, launching the protagonist into the central conflict.
The First Threshold at 29 minutes marks the transition into Act II, occurring at 25% of the runtime. This indicates the protagonist's commitment to The Americans surface alongside U-571 in disguise and board the German submarine. Tyler leads the assault team as they overpower the German crew and seize the Enigma machine. They have crossed into enemy territory., moving from reaction to action.
At 58 minutes, the Midpoint arrives at 50% of the runtime—precisely centered, creating perfect narrative symmetry. Significantly, this crucial beat Tyler successfully outmaneuvers the destroyer using decoy tactics, firing a torpedo that destroys the German ship. A false victory—they've survived the immediate threat but are stranded in enemy waters with a damaged submarine and no way home., fundamentally raising what's at risk. The emotional intensity shifts, dividing the narrative into clear before-and-after phases.
The Collapse moment at 87 minutes (75% through) represents the emotional nadir. Here, The submarine is critically damaged and sinking past crush depth. Chief Klough volunteers to go outside the hull to repair the damage, knowing it's likely a death sentence. He succeeds but is killed, sacrificing himself to save the crew., indicates the protagonist at their lowest point. This beat's placement in the final quarter sets up the climactic reversal.
The Second Threshold at 93 minutes initiates the final act resolution at 80% of the runtime. Tyler embraces his role as captain, understanding now what Dahlgren meant. He devises a desperate plan: surface and engage the German submarine in direct combat, using their last torpedo and the element of surprise., demonstrating the transformation achieved throughout the journey.
Emotional Journey
U-571's emotional architecture traces a deliberate progression across 15 carefully calibrated beats.
Narrative Framework
This structural analysis employs proven narrative structure principles that track dramatic progression. By mapping U-571 against these established plot points, we can identify how Jonathan Mostow utilizes or subverts traditional narrative conventions. The plot point approach reveals not only adherence to structural principles but also creative choices that distinguish U-571 within the war genre.
Jonathan Mostow's Structural Approach
Among the 4 Jonathan Mostow films analyzed on Arcplot, the average structural score is 7.0, demonstrating varied approaches to story architecture. U-571 takes a more unconventional approach compared to the director's typical style. For comparative analysis, explore the complete Jonathan Mostow filmography.
Comparative Analysis
Additional war films include Fury, Shenandoah and More American Graffiti. For more Jonathan Mostow analyses, see Breakdown, Surrogates and Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines.
Plot Points by Act
Act I
SetupStatus Quo
Lt. Andrew Tyler celebrates with his crewmates at a bar, expecting a promotion to command his own submarine. The camaraderie establishes his competence and ambition within the tight-knit submarine community.
Theme
Commander Dahlgren tells Tyler he wasn't recommended for command because he's not ready to send men to their deaths. "A captain must be prepared to make decisions that cost lives." The theme of leadership sacrifice is stated.
Worldbuilding
We establish the WWII setting, the submarine S-33 and its crew, Tyler's relationship with Dahlgren, and the stakes of the war. The German U-571 is shown crippled at sea with the Enigma machine aboard.
Disruption
The crew receives urgent orders: a German U-boat is disabled in the Atlantic with an intact Enigma cipher machine. They must disguise as Germans, board U-571, and capture the Enigma before a German resupply ship arrives.
Resistance
The crew prepares for the dangerous mission, transforming S-33 to resemble a German supply submarine. Tyler wrestles with Dahlgren's rejection while Chief Klough serves as a guide figure, teaching the importance of trusting command decisions.
Act II
ConfrontationFirst Threshold
The Americans surface alongside U-571 in disguise and board the German submarine. Tyler leads the assault team as they overpower the German crew and seize the Enigma machine. They have crossed into enemy territory.
Mirror World
A German destroyer appears and torpedoes the S-33, killing Commander Dahlgren and most of the crew. Tyler is suddenly thrust into command of the captured U-571 with a skeleton crew of survivors—the leadership test he wasn't ready for.
Premise
Tyler and the surviving Americans must operate the unfamiliar German submarine while evading the destroyer. They struggle with German controls, language barriers, and dwindling resources while Tyler learns to make command decisions under fire.
Midpoint
Tyler successfully outmaneuvers the destroyer using decoy tactics, firing a torpedo that destroys the German ship. A false victory—they've survived the immediate threat but are stranded in enemy waters with a damaged submarine and no way home.
Opposition
The submarine sustains critical damage. The crew faces mechanical failures, flooding, and diminishing oxygen. A German resupply submarine arrives, forcing them deeper. Tyler must repeatedly make life-or-death decisions as resources dwindle.
Collapse
The submarine is critically damaged and sinking past crush depth. Chief Klough volunteers to go outside the hull to repair the damage, knowing it's likely a death sentence. He succeeds but is killed, sacrificing himself to save the crew.
Crisis
Tyler faces the weight of Klough's death and the impossible situation. The crew is demoralized, the sub barely functional, and a German submarine is hunting them. Tyler must decide whether to surface and surrender or fight.
Act III
ResolutionSecond Threshold
Tyler embraces his role as captain, understanding now what Dahlgren meant. He devises a desperate plan: surface and engage the German submarine in direct combat, using their last torpedo and the element of surprise.
Synthesis
Tyler executes his plan with precision and calm authority. They surface, engage the German submarine in a tense battle, and Tyler personally fires the deck gun that destroys the enemy. The crew is rescued by Allied forces with the Enigma intact.
Transformation
Tyler stands as a true captain, having earned his command through sacrifice and impossible choices. The closing text reveals the Enigma capture helped turn the tide of the war. Tyler has become the leader Dahlgren knew he could be.