PiraBit if their story seems completely bonkers, almost like a feverish work of fiction, you ain't heard nothing yet.

Celia A great movie, one of the best of this year. There was a bit of confusion at one point in the plot, but nothing serious.

Jerrie It's a good bad... and worth a popcorn matinée. While it's easy to lament what could have been...

Dana An old-fashioned movie made with new-fashioned finesse.

Mike B This is pretty powerful stuff. It pulls no punches. The performance by the little boy Hadji (played by Abdul Khalim Mamutsiev) is simply outstanding. The settings – the villages under Russian bombardment, the refugees on the road... are all very gritty and convincing. At times this film just hits you in the face. The Russian army scenes do this literally. And from what I understand of new Russian army recruits it can be even worse.The story does have a suitable ending. Annette Bening has a minor role and is eclipsed by Abdul and Berenice Bejo, the human rights worker. Definitely a very engaging film – but be prepared!

rps-2 This is one of the finest films I've ever seen (and there are over 2000 titles on my IMDb list.) It is a gutsy, grim, graphic story with some really horrible characters and some outstandingly good ones. Most amazing is the performance of young Abdul Khalim Mamutsiev. There is very little about him in the biography section but if this young boy (he's 9 in the movie) is this great now, he will be another Olivier by the time he's 20! This film captures the grim reality of the Chechan war, the mindless and corrupt brutality of the Russian army both within and outside its ranks and the bleak, blood soaked reality of the country. The entire film is shot in stark, cold colours with powerful effects and staging. I forget some films. It will be impossible to forget this one!

John Ubaidich I'm Chechen and I've seen the war in my country. This story is only a simple story from a hundred of thousands other stories of Russian- Chechen wars.As someone that have seen the war, it was very difficult for me to watch this movie, I'm a man and I was watching it with the tears in my eyes, it has reminded me all the horrible dark nights in my country.I'm honestly thankful to Mr. Michel Hazanavicius. It's very obvious that he did not make this movie for money and success but because he thought that someone has to tell the truth. You will see many people saying that this movie has a political goals, anti-Russia propaganda etc and etc, however truth is truth neither you like it or not. Those are mainly people who did not suffer even a 1% of pain that Chechen people did. at least 35% of Chechens were killed in last two wars, about 40.000 of them were children. They burned people alive, just simple example, google "Samashki massacre" and thats from the war in 1994. The Search is about the second war 1999 which was much worst than the previous war. The history of Chechnya and Russia is horrible, there been so many wars in last 400 years, the history is indeed horrible.This movie shows a very little percent of what was really happening in Chechnya, however it tells the truth, It's very disappointing that now days not many people really wants to hear the truth, not much people do really care and that's what movie tells as well.The genocide of Jewish people, the genocide of Chechen and all the other people genocides, those are not only problem of certain people/nation but the problem and the issue of the world and all the people.This is a very honest and based on a true stories movie, this isn't a comedy and action for fun, this is a movie that made with heart for the people that still care.--- Dear Michel Hazanavicius,Thank you very much for this movie from all the Chechen people around the world, one day in Independent Chechen Republic you will be our most welcomed guest. We believe in it.

haosstoposto I will not elaborate movie plot in detail, it is a remake of the award winning movie of the same name from 1948, and of course it is a similar story. But I must say that it is a important movie about a forgotten conflict in Chechnya. The reception of the movie was poor in EU and it is clear why. The Director shows the reality of European and Russian politics, the europeans are indifferent to the problems of small oppressed nations in the former SSSR, and reluctant to do anything against the Russian terror. I was surprised to see an European movie which clearly takes sides with the victim and does not try to detach from the conflict, something which has always been popular among the political correct movie-makers, quoting „both sides are equally guilty". And we see a surprising accurate depiction of the training in the Russian army, a traditionally brutal thing. All in all, a must see movie. The truth must be told and the crimes must not be forgotten.