40in40 – Enemy at the Gates
My Netflix rating: 3.5/5 stars for badassness. i played Halo 3 for a couple of hours before this movie and i was really excited to watch people snipe each other.
Vassili Zaitsev
On this day, a young shepherd boy from the Urals arrived in the city of Stalingrad, on the banks of the Volga. His name is Vassili Zaitsev. Like thousands before him, he came to answer comrade Stalin’s call. Armed only with a rifle, he quickly made the fascist invader realize that from now on he would be punished for every step he took in the motherland; that from here on, the only way was back…
Be a stone. Breathe slowly. Aim at the eye.
The enemy was cold and unforgiving. He marched boldly into new territories, spreading his unconvincing Nazi ideology with an all too convincing iron fist. He was strong, but he was not in the right. And in the Soviet Union, he was not moving another foot forward. There, Vassili waited for the enemy, rifle in hand.
I do not fear. I am a big boy now.
As he held his breath to steady his aim, Vassili could feel his nation’s prayers wash over him. They provided ammo for his weary soul, steel for his tired bones, and better company than his rifle. Always staring through the crosshairs, a sniper sometimes forgets about the world he is fighting to save. He is a lone solider, but these prayers reminded him that he is in the midst of a great war and that the nation was watching. Before his shot, he closed his eyes and a sent out a prayer of his own, lest this be his last hour.
Give them hope… examples to follow… a hero.
As he opened them again, his eyes were set on the most cunning weapon of the enemy. This one was not like the wolves Vassili poached as a child. For many months, this one has turned our Hero into the game, pointing the gun back at him and remaining always one step ahead. In the stillness, the enemy has been relentless and he has always had the upper hand, until now. The duel has finally come to a standpoint. The enemy and the hero were finally face to face, eye to eye, with only a gun and a bullet in between.
The hand was steady. The eyes were locked. The shot was deadly. Vassili kept his crosshairs on his target, even as the dead body folded out of sight. He blinked slowly before lowering his rifle again. And finally, he allowed himself to exhale.
It was an unforgettable day of hope for the motherland. With focus, one man reshaped the entire landscape of the war. With determination, Vasilli inspired his country to believe in victory. With one last bullet, this sniper became the Hero of the Soviet Union.
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