Gruz 200

I don't know if anyone noticed that most critical, "one star" reviews emphasize the movie's agenda rather than anything else: the primary object of their critique is not a play by the individual actors, extreme violence or disgusting scenes but director's attitude toward Soviet reality. An they are right. Every small detail in the movie is intended to show that it was indeed rotten and decaying society. The year 1984 was chosen not by the accident: it is the answer to Orwell' book "1984" where British author tried to predict how the communist society would look in 25 years. Balabanov's answer: it is worse than Orwell could even imagine. The letters "USSR" on the T-shirt are not accidental either. This is another Balabanov's answer, this time to the official Soviet literature which presented young people (komsomol)as heroes, ready to sacrifice themselves in defense of their mother-Russia or save little babies from the fire. This real "businessman-komsomolets", who was educated by the Soviet reality, who saw how Soviet officials meet fallen soldiers from Afghanistan, won't do anything like that. Indeed, the movie wants to say that such pervert like captain Zhurov could live anywhere, in any country. However, he could thrive only in USSR, in the country which lost its soul. Great movie.

This is a brilliant if dark movie. Showing corruption of the Soviet system in stark and horrific colors and the high price it put on the human soul, this cynical piece of movie making is based on a true story. And it rings true. More horrific than most horror movies, it is well worth a watch. It may scar you, so beware. But it is one hell of a great movie.

The title of the film is a code name for the return home of a body from the battle field. The reason why this title is chosen becomes clear early in the film - but the build of the film would allow a lot of different titles and each one of them would be matching for this film goes far beyond a body returning from the battle field. As the story rolls the film switches back and forth between a number of people and tells their respective tales - and the way all of them connect in one way or the other. The stories are not altogether happy but are not too dark either so the film doesn't turn too dreary. It is very grim though. As each of the stories turns to its conclusion one can not escape the biting cold reality of them.

Played out well enough to be believable and quick enough to be entertaining this film does pretty well. It's ending is fitting, its after-taste is bitter. But, above all, it's an interesting watch.

8 out of 10 broken bottles of vodka

Balabanov's films are always aggressive. This one is a prominent dramatic film about the last years of the Soviet Union. Of course, many people say it is a horrible movie. Yes it is, but c'est la vie, our life is horrible and it is snobbish to argue with it. It is like a cold shower. The soundtrack is excellent, the actors are good enough, and the views of a decaying town are dreadfully beautiful. You really must see this movie if you still think our ex-country was a cool place to live. One of the best Balabanov's films. It is much better than 'Of Freaks and Men' because here the shocking effect is made not just to make people feel bad but to understand our rotten reality. Russian films become better and better

Yes, this is a shocking movie but a good one. People, especially abroad, need to see films like this, to get a picture of the horrors that took place in the SSSR and try understand the dark side of the human nature. Similar things, if not worse, are happening all over the place but at least Alexey Balabanov had the guts to talk about it in an explicit and honest manner. I, personally, think of this film as a very disturbing documentary which can also provide study material for sociologists, psychologists, psychiatrists but also people in positions of power (politicians mainly) who are mostly responsible for horrors of the modern society. Also, movies aren't just Hollywood and why not talk about real life for a change. It's time people opened up their eyes and their minds, too. I did find the music, although highly acclaimed by the critics and well liked by its fans, a little irritating. I do however understand its role in the movie so that's why I voted 9. Well done the actors, and well done Mr Balabanov!