Why I liked this film:

I can say that this is probibly the best movie ever made about wartime mentality. It was grotesquely surreal of course. But what made it so amazing to me was the way it showed ugly and totally twisted and distorted concepts and stamped it with approval. In other words it shows the true mentality of wartime propaganda.

My favorite scenes were:

The propaganda-esque news real depicting Germans as cruel monsters and the Bolshiviks as uncivilized beasts. And the announcer asks "Why IN GOD'S NAME do they do these things?" Then answering his own question, "THEY SHOULD NOT DO THESE THINGS."

Also

The scene where the boy comes to the bed of Lt Boles. Its only incidental that they both are sleeping naked suggesting a homoerotic relationship between the two.

The scene where the father strangles the Bolshiviks with his own intestines.

and finally

The scene where the boy, having took the gun and lies dying asks Lt Boles if he did well. And Boles nodds approvingly.

In short, this is not the sort of film that would play well for commercial audiences. Its too brash and too savage in its satiracal content. But for those who know and understand the stupidity of war propaganda it will definately touch a nerve.