A zori zdes tikhie...

I just watched this movie and I must say this is now in my top 10 war movie of all time. Such warm and in the same time, such harsh story. Actors did amazing job...masterpiece. Sincere recommendation.

A zori zdes tikhie (The Dawns Here Are Quiet, 2015) is based on a book by Boris Vasilyev (1969) and is similar to 1972 Soviet movie of the same name by Stalnislav Rostotskiy. It tells a story of a Russian sergeant stationed in Karelia with a group of young female anti-aircraft gunners. The group moves to intercept a squad of German troops moving through the nearby forests. Russians find themselves badly outnumbered, but they are devoted to stopping the enemy regardless of the cost.

The new version is significantly shorter, uses a different style of flashbacks that tell the background stories of the main characters, and has extended action elements. But in general it remains a faithful remake that often uses the same lines spoken by characters and same shooting angles. New version also has a fair amount of nudity which is not very distracting, but might seem unappealing for a serious war movie. Overall, this is a solid production which is superior to other remakes of Soviet movies that were filmed in Russia in the recent years.

This is a very well made and filmed story. I really like how they included a back story of the main characters. The action scenes are well done and doesn't feel low budget at all. Very detailed that goes a long way in character development since it's not limited by time like a movie would be. It definitely doesn't hurt that the female characters are beautiful.

My main criticism that drives me up the wall is that this experienced German saboteur unit that appears to be moving very fast toward a goal to blow up a railway, but never seem to make any progress. Like they're going in circles, yet the Russians always are in a position to ambush them. Not to mention the obvious fact that an inexperienced Russian force is able to defeat a larger, better armed, experienced German force. Purely Russian propaganda.

I'm assuming that since reviewers are talking about a film, this was re-edited, because the version I saw was a four part mini-series.

The acting was top-notch despite leaning a little to the stereotypical, and the flow of the piece was quite outstanding.

Recommend it highly.

While the movie is based on a fictional novel, the series is true to form with incredible accuracy of weapons, uniforms, Soviet soldiers and more.

I would say every single one of the actors was well cast and portrayed their roles with excellence. I am a great fan of Russian war movies and this is at the top of my list.

The cinematography is without fault. The beautiful landscapes are mesmerizing. (Filmed at Karelia, Russia next to the Finnish border region)

This is a must see WW2 movie.