Zvezda

Good movie but not as good as i hoped. Some very nice camera work and an interesting story but I find the acting less convincing also didn't I like the music. The movie shows a nice inside view about the legendary Russian `ghost' scouts' team. The strange unconvincing romance mix would have been best left out the story. It is a good movie worth watching, I rate the movie a 7 out of 10.

Just a very good movie about WW II. A true story about a small scout group with radio sign "The Star" (Zvezda) which got a task to find place of German tanks concentration. Two previous groups were lost and nobody knew where and how. The third group is completed by scouts from different fronts. "The Star" goes in both dark of night and obscurity understanding that enemy waits them leaving no chances to return. The movie stays in line with famous US movies like "Private Ryane" and "Thin Red Line". Very good battle scenes and music.

Hi!

Zvezda got two golden eagle (zolotoi oryol) prize for best cinematography and best music for Russian movies of 2002.

Theme music by guitar solo or strings orchestra portrays romantic love feeling of Katya, a young female soldier in front head quarter communication unit who loves "Zvezda" scout team leader lieutenant Trabkin.

Beside this is a serious and precise war combat story, this is romantic love story with lovely music.

This movie is about soldiers who didn't try to be heroes. In contrast to Private Ryan they didn't question their orders. They believed in their mission, and they had to complete it whatever the cost is. Heroes it's what we call them after watching this movie.

Visually, Zvezda is very decently made, though far from high budget movies like Saving Private Ryan or Enemy At The Gates. But on the other hand it wasn't the movie's goal. The director didn't try to lure us with stunning explosions, or great angle shots of a battle. He just tried to touch our feelings, which he did outstandingly.

There are some minor drawbacks in the plot(like of Vorobej remembering the way back) but except of these the movie is very tense, and the last minutes bring really heart-breaking, tear-dropping moments, that can't leave anyone indifferent. I wanted to scream but I couldn't let the words out, tears ready to go.

This movie is in memory of those, to whom we owe our lives, leaving our flowers over the grave-stone of the unknown soldier.

The Star' might not be the most sophisticated war movie out there, but it was an exciting thrill ride. It quite never achieves the epic proportions compared to some better Hollywood and (Soviet) Russian was movies. Although we are not given much time to get introduced with characters, the heroes, and what makes them tick, are established quickly. Not much build-up - we are thrown into the action quite quickly. Still, there is enough room for the obligatory love story. Luckily that doesn't feel forced. The characters develop along with the story. We were given just the faces and names, but who these men really were, we learned while they moved towards behind the enemy lines.

Tight directing, perfect pacing and, timing with great acting makes this 'on the budget' movie edge of your seat thrill ride. Here I can't say that this is the only Russian war movie you should see, but it definitely belongs among the best (modern) Russian war movies.

P.S. I couldn't go without noticing that Aleksey Kravchenko's similarity with David Lynch is uncanny.