The characters are given life by the script and actors, while the mountainous terrain (provided by Crimea) adds novelty to the combat scenes.
Comment
02/19/07
The 9th Company (2005)
79 %
Reviews Counted: 14 Fresh: 11 Rotten:3 Average Rating: 5.9/10
Rated: 15
Theatrical Release: 16-02-2007
Genre: Dramas
Reviews
1 - 14 (sorted by date; UK critics are listed first)
Tells a familiar story very well, thanks to a charismatic ensemble cast and boundless ambition when it comes to the scale.
02/16/07
Top Critic
It may not be a new subject but, as an update on bellicose jingoism, it’s just right.
02/16/07
It's beautifully shot and includes bravura set pieces from the front line. Unsurprisingly, it ends badly.
02/16/07
Top Critic
It's all beautifully photographed and lit, using a bright palette that recalls old Technicolor, and exerts a cumulative power over its 130 minutes.
02/16/07
The film has no real thematic ambition beyond restating the old "war is hell" adage.
02/16/07
Americanised macho-sentimental war movie about an isolated Soviet division.
02/16/07
Top Critic
To a man, the movie’s impressive young Russian cast cover themselves in glory with some truly top-notch turns.
02/16/07
With what’s going on in Afghanistan today, 9th Company is nothing if not timely.
02/16/07
It isn't original and it isn't subtle, but this is an intelligent and well-made war film that hammers its point home with explosive force.
02/16/07
Top Critic
the movie's relevance to current events is inescapable - especially when underlined in dialogue like, "In all of history, no one has ever managed to conquer Afghanistan."
02/16/07
Top Critic
The unquestioning lionising of Russian heroism is far from comfortable viewing, especially given the Putin regime’s darkening human rights record.
02/14/07
Top Critic
Director Fyodor Bondarchuk handles the action sequences impressively but relies heavily on a bombastic orchestral score and slow-motion effects, while the film’s nationalistic sentiments ensure the enemy remains faceless and fanatical.
02/14/07
Full of good intentions and scattered with more than a few gob-smacking scenes, this could have really taken it to Hollywood if only it had a little more to say than "war is hell here too."
02/14/07
Top Critic1 - 14 (sorted by date; UK critics are listed first)
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