A terrific documentary drama very well done. The director himself was a TV journalist at the scene at the time of the fighting depicted in the film. I liked the brutalization rather than the family entertainment kind of glamorization so often seen in war film that hold back because of those who would complain of too much violence. The better we face reality, the better we can deal with it. I know of no version with subtitles but this should not keep anyone from seeing it. After reading what I write here you should be able to follow along. NO SPOILERS here. I am only starting it off so it can be understood, and I give away nothing of what happens. The quote at the very beginning is from the 137th Psalm of which the last part goes like this: "O Daughter of Babylon, doomed to destruction, blessed is he who repays you for what you have done to us and he who seizes your infants and dashes them against the rocks." Early January 1995 the Russians have entered Grozny (capital of Chechnya). In the first scenes a military unit is pinned down by unexpected fierce resistance at a hospital complex. They try unsuccessfully to take away their wounded. The camera switches constantly from one side to the other, and usually it is not difficult to tell which is which. The Chechen side includes women snipers (from the Baltics), black mercenaries (speaking in English), fighters in Islamic headdress, and a pony-tailed commandeer. The Russian officer (just lost one eye) seeks help by radio but keeps connecting to the Chechen commandeer using a scanner to listen to Russian communications. Killing, hate, blood, grime. The Russians pin hope on a tank. I have spoiled nothing so far, and even if you do not understand Russian your imagination should carry you along. Much effort went into this film. Ten stars. P.S. I add this note April 2013. English subtitles - good ones as well as one set of horrible ones - do exist but you need to know where to look.
