unata

Daneliya is my favourite movie director, mostly because of his cult classic Kin-Dza-Dza. I finally got to Afonya and declare it a masterpiece. Daneliya has this unique talent for a full-on sarcasm towards his characters combined with incredible love and compassion for them. This combo reminds me a bit of older episodes of the Simpsons, only there is MORE sarcasm and MORE love.

Afonya used to be one of my favourite guy types, the class clown, dealing pot on the side, always getting into trouble and trying to joke their way out of it. I dated a couple of them over the years and got to know that their joking is a cover up for the emptiness they would feel once they stop talking. They often don't realize it themselves, but I am glad that Afonya did.

I saw some comments in Russian reviews not understanding why his girl saviour - being so much younger that he is and a pretty girl - keeps following him around. I think it's quite straightforward, she mentions that her brother was on Afonya's youth days volleyball team, and she probably had a huge crush on him then. It's still a crush and not love, but hey, it all worked out at the end :)

This is not a shoot-up movie set in the future. This is a movie about a human being changing and opening up to new things. Kurt Russel did an excellent job on subtle face expressions changing as he changes from a killing machine to someone who cares. The subtlety of acting is the best thing I liked about this movie.No emotions are present on soldiers faces, except during few moments, like when they are told they are obsolete and they don't even have to salute anymore.

Excellent action film with a human touch.