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By Lonnie Harris Daily Bruin Senior Staff

The makers of "U-571," a new submarine film following a group of American seamen in their attempt to steal a code- breaker from a German U-boat during WWII, take special care to note that their film is not technically based on any actual events. Instead, they argue, it's a composite inspired by several different actual WWII missions made by both British and American naval officers.

It's an important distinction in this era when so many films based on actual events, from "The Hurricane" to "The Insider" to "Erin Brockovich" have come under fire for taking artistic liberties with true stories.

There has already been some griping in the British press about "U-571," which ends with an American crew salvaging the all-important Enigma code-breaking machine used by the German Navy off the American East Coast in 1941. In truth, the first Enigma machine was captured in May of 1941 by a crew led by Lt. Commander David Balme.

"The Enigma was something very real," director Jonathan Mostow said. "It existed on submarines. It was a code that we were desperately trying to break. We captured an Enigma from a U-Boat. I felt that it was fair game, but this is clearly a work of fiction. In 'Hunt for Red October,' no one ever says, 'Hey, wait a second, the Russians never defected a sub.'"

To help keep the filmmakers true to the history of their tale, Mostow ("Breakdown") consulted with numerous experts on U-boats and code-breaking-related espionage from WWII, from those who were present to witness the activities and historians who have made submarine warfare their academic pursuit.

Technical advisors for the film include author of "Seizing the Enigma" and leading cryptology researcher David Kahn and Vice-Admiral Patrick Hannifin, who served in the U.S. Navy during WWII and operated submarines for 35 years.

"One of the great joys of making movies is that it gives me an opportunity to encounter people I otherwise never would have met," Mostow said. "The fact that admirals, submarine veterans, the world's leading expert on Enigma cryptology and the war hero who actually captured the first Enigma device have given the film their blessing is very meaningful to me."

One of the key technical details captured in "U-571" which other similar films haven't really dealt with is the poor condition of the Navy's own submarines at the onset of the War. The War Department had failed to allocate appropriate funds for new submarines before 1942, so most of the submarines sent out before that time were left over from the first World War, with horribly out-of-date technology.

To express the ominous nature of these shaky early boats, the film includes many shots of sprung leaks and hull breaches, adding to its authenticity.

"I love being able to have a blueprint, and be able to say, 'That happened,' because then there's something to work off of," said co-star Matthew McConaughey. "We had Admiral Patrick Hannifin on the set, so there was always somebody that you could ask, 'What was it really like?' Here's the script, but what was it like there? What's the attitude there?"

The story of "U-571" starts off simply ­ a German U-boat finds itself off the Eastern Seaboard, replete with a functioning Enigma code machine, the key item needed for the Allies to crack German codes and therefore turn the tables of the war in the Atlantic.

The Navy sends an elite submarine crew, headed by Lt. Commander Mike Dahlgren (Bill Paxton) and his second-in- command, Lt. Andrew Tyler (McConaughey), to the U-boat. Disguised as a German rescue squad, they hope to fool the sailors long enough to get on board the disabled vessel and get the Enigma machine. Unfortunately, while the crew is there, their own submarine is sunk by a German destroyer, leaving them in the middle of hostile waters on the deck of a foreign, and broken, submarine.

The film is the brainchild of fellow screenwriters Sam Montgomery and David Ayer from an original story by Mostow. The filmmakers and actors involved in the project strove for the maximum level of authenticity, from details in the art direction to the personalities and relationships of the men operating submarines during the World War II.

"These guys really wanted to do a true-to-life World War II submarine movie," Paxton said. "What's fun about doing these kind of movies is that you get to learn some cool history. It's supposed to just be a thrilling experience for the audience, and it sort of picks up where 'Das Boot' left off."

"Das Boot" was director Wolfgang Peterson's 1981 groundbreaking German-made submarine film. Coincidentally, that movie's production designer Gotz Weidner, along with American art director William Skinner, joined forces to give "U-571" a similar feeling, while adding more modern effects and design techniques.

The entire effect does give the feeling of a living history of sorts, despite all those warnings that it's just a made-up thriller.

"I know the British are upset," Paxton said. "But, it's always just been a work of fiction. It's just a fun ride."

FILM: "U-571" opens in theaters nationwide Friday.