In an era where even low-budget productions can achieve impressive visual and narrative quality through careful direction and post-production, this 2021 war film unfortunately falls short in almost every technical and artistic aspect. While the premise had great potential, especially given the historical setting of the Eastern Front, the execution is disappointingly amateurish.
From a cinematographic standpoint, the film suffers from an erratic flow, often feeling like a disjointed compilation of loosely connected vignettes rather than a cohesive story. The editing fails to provide a sense of continuity, with abrupt scene transitions that make it difficult to invest in the characters or the stakes at hand. There are fleeting moments where the film tries to develop its soldiers' backstories, but these moments are drowned out by poorly choreographed action sequences that seem inserted more out of obligation than narrative necessity.
The special effects are particularly underwhelming, which is surprising considering the advancements in digital effects available even to modestly funded productions. Explosions lack impact, gunfights feel staged, and aerial battle elements are embarrassingly inaccurate-most notably, the inexplicable overuse of Stuka sirens on all aircraft, an anachronism that feels more like a sound effect shortcut than an attempt at realism.
Perhaps the film's greatest failure is its inability to generate any real emotional engagement. War films, at their best, capture the psychological and emotional toll of combat, immersing the audience in the fear, desperation, and camaraderie of soldiers under fire. Here, however, the characters remain distant, their reactions unconvincing, their performances forced. The soldiers never feel like men truly caught in the chaos of war, but rather like extras simply reciting lines. The lack of authenticity in performances is further exacerbated by the terrible dubbing of the German dialogue, which is distractingly unnatural and poorly synchronized.
It is particularly disappointing given that Russian cinema has, in recent decades, demonstrated a remarkable ability to craft gripping, visually stunning, and deeply human war dramas that far surpass Hollywood's more formulaic approach to the genre. Yet this film feels more like a made-for-TV production, with none of the raw intensity or immersive storytelling seen in some of Russia's best war films.
Ultimately, while it is not unwatchable, the film is forgettable. It neither delivers the historical weight its setting demands nor the visceral experience that good war cinema should provide. A commendable effort, but one that leaves much to be desired.
