User reviews

I've seen this movie on its premiere day on 26th of December in the oldest cinema theater in Russia (Aurora). Coincidentally, 26th of December by New Style marks the 1825 revolt date. Historical details seem more or less accurate but almost no plot and a lot of characters quite undistinguishable in their military uniforms make the movie rather boring for anyone who's not a history junky. Only worth seeing if you are interested in the history of Russia of that period.

I have no idea what the filmmakers were assuming. That Decembrist revolt is widely known to moviegoers, or that omitting the bulk of the details, cramming everything into two hours, and just bombarding the viewer with narration, time skips, and name inserts is going to immediately clue everyone in as to who is who, what they wanted, or even what side they are on. Or maybe they already knew that they would be commissioned to make a miniseries for TV out of what was left on the cutting floor.

Oh, would you look at that? The series came out in 2022.

Despite the fact that the standoff and subsequent suppression of the crowd are masterfully done, beautifully blending CGI and practical effects, the movie is lacking in everything else. Everyone besides Nicolas I is either bland or a caricature. Muravyov-Apostol gets a shoehorned, fictional love story that goes nowhere, adds nothing, and makes it all feel like studio encroachment because they knew that this was the only way they could make you root for the guy. The same mass appeal can be implied by a soundtrack featuring unfitting edits of rock music.

Obviously, the most prevalent topic of discussion is whether this movie is state-funded propaganda appealing to the masses to not "revolt," as inferred by all-knowing Russian liberals. What history books have they been smoking? If Kravchuk wanted, they could've leaned in so many directions to absolutely besmirch these people. From outlining what their actual bloody plan was on how to prevent counter-revolution to simply showing how Muravyov-Apostol tried to escape only to be stopped by his own soldiers angry at him for leading them to treason. If nothing else and truly almost nothing else is shown, the movie paints them as unscrupulous patriots and not as French-speaking, Voltaire-quoting, loathsome cowards who couldn't even shoot the tsar despite ample opportunity. They even presented Trubetskoy as not a miserable craven who just didn't want to come out, but as someone who thought he wouldn't need to because he saw Nicolas as weak, that he sees what direction the wind blows, and that he is going to fold any second. Which is so much more credit than even the Soviet interpretation of his action has ever given him.

It is a nonsense from the historical point of view. Looks like a propaganda against any progressive movement in support of tyranny.

We saw goverment spent money on the movies with propaganda tagets, but doing it not just bad, But hypocritically, talantless and stupidly; twisting history and defaming heroes of the past, telling lies and exhibiting them as foolish people - that is just another step of turning verity upside down. The director of the movie and his team, are the people with no honor and shame. The point of their movie is - - 'live under tyrrany, don't say a word, there is no need of constitution for slaves, and You Are a slave, so don't dare to manifest any kind of human qualities'

There was an old Soviet TV film called The Star Of The Captivating Happiness, and that is still a timeless classic. Now, there is this new film, which is, er, so poor in delivery and tone that one can only gasp in utter disbelief - it is poorly performed, with awful wrong casting, always missed tonality, very laughable make-up, very stretchy plot, rather unrealistic CGI, goofs galore, bad montage, wrong pacing. Terrible aftertaste remains long, as the whole film is just a bright picture, all outer view, no essence. Looks and taste insipid.

Sure, you can watch the very December mutiny scene just to see sheer misstep at every corner, the positioning of troops, the scenery, the setting, the outcome.

More than that, nope. Vapid stale tea.

I purchased this as a blue ray when it first came out because I love this period, and it wasn't disappointing. The only problem was the subtitles were really bad, incomplete, and sometimes would just vanish.

There is now a new version of it on YouTube with really good subtitles and scenes that were not in the first release. It is way better because you can follow the story. It is a great movie, and way more than a 5 and it is not propaganda, it is inspirational, unless of course you are a Russophobe.

Ask yourself, when all the rest of the countries have descended into a total mishmash of anarchy and mixed and competing cultures and races, what country will still exist in its purity. Russia, it is already a 1,000-year-old country, discount and disrespect it at your peril.

Russia is making Hollywood look juvenile by comparison when they make films like this. This movie is stunning and the story is extremely engaging. I recommend this to everyone. It's much more classical and well made than any American movie from the past 10 years.

Director Andrei Kravchuk has made so far such interesting films on historical subjects as "Admiral" and "Viking". Now he took up the Decembrist revolt in the film "Union of Salvation." Personally I think that in this impromptu trilogy, Kravchuk's latest work is the most powerful.

It tells us about young Russian officers who returned home after the war with Napoleon. Having managed to defeat such a dangerous enemy, our heroes decided to make their own country better. Now they need to change the existing monarchical order. Gradually, the plot fits the events on the Senate Square and it is worth seeing with your own eyes ...

Some of the scenes in the film scared me very much, others are admirable. And the most interesting thing is that most of the material was taken by the authors from documentary sources. There is no special fiction here.

It's not easy to watch such a movie. On the one hand, it's very beautiful, on the other hand, it describes complex historical moments, sacrifices and the collapse of hopes, but that's the life - you need to describe it as it is, or not start the movie at all. Fortunately, Andrei Kravchuk knows his business and gave us a unique opportunity to see on the screen what we previously could see only in books.

The Union of Salvation is worth watching. The film came out confident and ambitious. You may sense the hand of a master in it, and if you want to learn a little more about Russian history, then you should definitely take the "Salvation Union" into account.

Highly recommend, great acting, great script, great music, fantastic special effects. I was fortunate enough to see this movie in the theater (twice), the standoff between the Decembrists and Nicholas I gave me chills, the movie makes you feel like you're almost there in Senate Square. Recommend reading a little about the Decembrists (at least their Wiki) before watching, will help you appreciate the odds they were up against and the sacrifice they made that much more.

I went to this film, being 99% sure that the film would be good. And - I was definitely right now this one percent of doubt has disappeared.

To begin with, I would like to note the musical component: it was damn suitable in every single (and whole) moment of the film I was especially pleased with the appearance of the Nautilus Pompilius melody "Progulki po vode" (for those who want to shout that the film is against the Decembrists this melody should become a symbol of comparison of the sacrifice of the Decembrists and the sacrifice of Christ and this probably indicates that the film at least respects Decembrists).

Events take place rather chaotically, and a person who doesn't know Russian history will have a hard time, but gradually he will get used to the quick narration and will go into rhythm. But I would like to note that such number of events which was covered by the film cannot be served a better way in two hours. The director's work was really brilliant.

In addition, the actors are marvellous. These are absolutely not those boring identical faces that an ordinary person is used to seeing on TV screens. These are new full of life energy faces that you really want to look at, who want to empathize with, and I'm not talking about any one side - the tsar or the Decembrists. I'm talking about everyone in general, because the cast is excellent. Like their acting.

Now we turn to the historical essence and I believe that the director did the almost impossible and the best that he could do - he did not adhere to anyone's point of view, telling dry historical facts and so that you begin to think about who is closer to you and - a miracle! - both sides are close to you because they are people, because they are insignificant and great, because they are delightfully insane and a little stupid. And they should be admired. The Decembrists standing under the buckshot knowing they were going to die, the Decembrists running on the ice knowing it would break under their feet. The humanity of Nicholas I, who until the last did nothing with the militant people, who ordered to shoot on the ice, giving people the opportunity to escape and forget about everything. Where is the support of the tsar here? Where is the support of the Decembrists here? Nowhere. And isn't it wonderful when the director himself gives you the right to choose which characters you stand on the side of? Yes, the Decembrists were hanged - it's a fact, isn't it? Yes, they shot at them - it's a fact, isn't it? Yes, the Decembrists wanted to change the world and change the order of the country, using radical methods or not, whatever - it's a fact, isn't it? Fact. Historical fact.

10/10

The plot of the film takes place over several decades of the 19th century. Russian troops managed to fight back Napoleon and took over Paris. It was not an easy time, young officers believed they could change the whole world for the better. Idealists look into the eyes of the enemy courageously without fear. Who can achieve the desired and show the will and power if not they?

To begin with, they decided to put an end to injustice at home and decided to establish a constitutional monarchy. But despite all the ideals and faith in their truth, it was not easy to fulfill their plan.

Andrei Kravchuk's film "The Union of Salvation" is a large-scale historical study that describes some of the most difficult pages of the Russian Empire history. The revolt of the Decembrists had to show the emperor that the old rules and laws were no longer able to restrain the empire from collapse, and although the rebellion was suppressed, it became a special precedent that brought the country under global historical changes.

The story turned out to be stunning, with rich scenery, costumes, large-scale battle scenes. We can see what all the money was spent on, rather big amount of money. Nothing of the kind I have ever seen in Russian cinematography before. The film was made by people who definitely knew their job.

TO sum up: "The Union of Salvation" turned out to be a strong historical picture, in which real heroes of the past appear, capable of fighting against the system in order to raise the state from its knees. The film deserves attention.

I think this movie is much better than the Hollywood garbage about napoleon and i think all the negative reviews here are just stupid y'all have no appreciation for how long the movie took to make and should be hanged at a yardarm I loved all the characters in the movie and i think the movie is servery underrated I hope i will be able to see this movie here in Australia, its just the movie its so exciting everything including the costuming was spot on, it must have been very difficult to make all the costuming especially since the movie hired over 100 people to make the soldier's uniforms i rate this movie 5 Stars.

Very good graphics. Millitary tactics applied with perfection. It's sad that people takes the movie in the politically sphere and as a propaganda tool.

I loved how the movie portraying is portraying this young officer wishing to see the liberties and the modernizing ideas be aplied in a democratic Russian state and how the revolution fall apart because of lack of epollets, after Trubestkoi decided not to participate.

Another well depicted moment was when the russian troops were not willing to fire on their fellow comrades.

I say that was a superb movie to watch, and i recomand it to all. 10 out of 10.

It's a well-done film, perhaps better if shot as a TV mini-series. I didn't get enough time to connect to all the characters essential to the plot but I did most especially with Emperor Nikolai and Sergei. The movie assumes you already know the backstory of the Decembrist Revolt and doesn't go in-depth with the issues and ideologies it presents. Nevertheless, it is well-shot and directed with beautiful locations and uniforms. Just a step below the BBC mini-series War and Peace. That sort of treatment is what was needed here. The score also felt out of place with the heavy and emotional scenes. Still a recommended watch for Napoleonic buffs.