why do females like it so much?

Probably, and this sounds a bit cliché, because it's more than simply a war movie. Story-wise it might just have that little bit extra to make it enjoyable for women viewers as well. It looks beautiful as well, and we all know how woman like pretty pictures. ;-)

this was a surprisingly good movie. i like watching war movies quite a lot, in spite of my gender:D why did i rate it so much? because it was realistic. and because the heroes are far from being superhumans. i guess i am tired of hollywood productions. although personally i am on the other fence of the facts depicted in the movie (I was born in Romania, which was allied with the Germans during WW2, all the males of the family have been in the military and some women, like my grandmother a nurse in a field hospital, so we did fought against the Soviets up to a point), i can relate to their experiences on the front from the stories told mainly by the members of my family (I could do a movie myself, with the lot I know!). and totally subjective, because of one of the actors, who reminded me of my Tatar grandfather:) is this good enough?