StyleSk8r
At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.
shapea
A movie at its core is a work of fiction, even when it claims it is based on historical events.Now, certain exaggerations are to be taken for granted, as it is the director's prerogative in how he/she chooses to tell the story.So the setting is WW2, during operation Barbarossa when Germans are invading Russia, with the Russia army reeling from the German assault.There is this scene that I can't for the life of me understand nor believe: The German army does a slow & steady march towards the Russian position with the front holding up the German Nazi flag. Which reminds one of the infantry advance you would see during the musket days (think US war of independence, British red coats, etc).The entrenched Russians proceeded to mow down the Germans with machine gun fire, and mortars -- all the while the Germans kept the steady slow paced march forward to their deaths.I thought this was WW2? How on earth did Germany gain any foothold into Russia with those tactics? Look, I know this is a feel-good movie for Russians, but I have to ask, do you find that scene believable? Sorry but no amount of suspension will give the movie any credibility. You might as well give the Russian army laser rifles to mow down the advancing Germans.
Ernst Wiltmann
So far, this movie is only available in Russian Language. I believe this movie will come out as successful as FORTRESS OF WAR, THE BOMBER, ADMIRAL, and a few more titles, that have been released with English subtitles. I watched the ones above all in their earlier Russian language version, because I couldn't wait. So did I view this one. The new Russian movies about world war 2 are way more forward with the facts, than the old soviet ones are. NKVD troops (acting on Stalins direct edicts) are brutal and merciless. They don't seem to care, if their subjects are guilty of the crime or not : desertion, collaborating with the enemy, or disobeying soviet orders. Facts of disproof seem to be a mere nuisance to them. A high ranking soviet Brigade General ( our protagonist)just went through such NKVD treatment with a new set of golden teeth, the old ones have been beaten out of him. His expertise is desperately needed in building a new defenseline to slow down the German advance towards Moscow in the month of July. The year is 1941, and the Wehrmacht seems to be unstoppable. Our protagonist acts quickly, organizing a new defensive line on the Dneiper River, with the city of Smolonsk in his back.Something really hard to do, because 100 000's of Refugee's are clogging the roads. The troops at his disposal are some 45mm anti tank units, demoralized but rallied troops, a batch of conscript with very little experience a understrenght regiment of regular red army equipped with anti tank rifles, and a Recon unit equipped with BA-65 armored cars. Also an armored train for artillery support, very few anti aircraft guns and no air support. There is a little fortress on the main highway, buying him some time. The Germans don't loose much time to through everything nasty, at his little army: Squadrons of Stuka's and Me-109's, Dozens of Mark II and III tanks, heavy 150 mm artillery and armored SdKfz armored personal carriers. No substitute equipment at play here, like we are used from older warflicks. Yes, the ruski film makers use a lot of CGI and other clever special effects but the battles look pretty authentic to an old war movie buff like me. Also the acting is great, the actors are believable doing their period characters. I don't know, how a war movie currently could be made any better. This one scores with me in the same league as "The Pacific" "Band of Brothers" and "Saving Private Ryan ".
