The Search

This is one of the finest films I've ever seen (and there are over 2000 titles on my IMDb list.) It is a gutsy, grim, graphic story with some really horrible characters and some outstandingly good ones. Most amazing is the performance of young Abdul Khalim Mamutsiev. There is very little about him in the biography section but if this young boy (he's 9 in the movie) is this great now, he will be another Olivier by the time he's 20! This film captures the grim reality of the Chechan war, the mindless and corrupt brutality of the Russian army both within and outside its ranks and the bleak, blood soaked reality of the country. The entire film is shot in stark, cold colours with powerful effects and staging. I forget some films. It will be impossible to forget this one!

So sad to see that the evaluation of this beautiful movie is negatively affected by so many 1-star evaluations from nationalistic Russians who can't stand seeing the truth about war.

The war in Czechia has been so devastating. So much death and cruelty. And all the war crimes are very well documented by international organisations so there's zero actual propaganda in this movie.

The movie is touching. And It's beautifully shot and directed.

It's 1999, the Second Chechen War. Young Russian Army recruit Kolia is filming the troops. They kill an elderly couple. Their 9 year old son Hadji escapes with his baby brother. He leaves the baby with the neighbors and joins the refugees going north. Alone and turning mute, he is taken in by french woman Carole who is writing a report for the EU Human Rights Committee. Helen (Annette Bening) runs the local humanitarian effort and dismisses her work. Meanwhile, Hadji's sister actually survived the massacre and sets off searching for him. The movie also follows Kolia as he signs up with his friend. He faces brutal treatment in the Russian Army and is then sent to the front.

This is a French film made in Georgia. I like the kid and the French woman, no matter how unlikely the situation. The sister's story has a few compelling moments although the reunion is never in doubt. Kolia is never that compelling to me. His part could function much better by itself which would look closer to Full Metal Jacket. By itself, his story has value. The production and the war torn setting all look fine. It's just that I don't care that much about him and I kept waiting for the movie to return to the boy. I also have an issue with her boring speech to the committee. She has a great prop for her report. She could simply film Hadji talking about losing his family and that would be infinitely more riveting than her report. It seems like an obvious move for the story and for her character. It would then be even more heartbreaking when her boss reprimands her for her supposed stunt. Somebody should write better. Overall, I like the kid and his journey. The other stuff and the minor problems detract from a better score.

I totally disagree with "madamebaterflaj" - although this isn't the "best film ever" (and how could it be, depicting the horror of war), it is not bad at all. Yes, it is anti-Russian, but don't you remember how the story went? It's like saying "Schindler's List is black-and-white anti-German propaganda".... It is an European point of view, of course, so even if there is a sort of happy end, the focus of the story are not the emotions of the characters, not even the characters maybe, but History and how we all are involved. The boy actor is simply terrific, some times he looks like an old guy, a grown up man, and then again he shows he's just a little boy. Beautiful photography. Beautiful soundtrack. Might be a bit too long but not that much.

I'm Chechen and I've seen the war in my country. This story is only a simple story from a hundred of thousands other stories of Russian- Chechen wars.

As someone that have seen the war, it was very difficult for me to watch this movie, I'm a man and I was watching it with the tears in my eyes, it has reminded me all the horrible dark nights in my country.

I'm honestly thankful to Mr. Michel Hazanavicius. It's very obvious that he did not make this movie for money and success but because he thought that someone has to tell the truth.

You will see many people saying that this movie has a political goals, anti-Russia propaganda etc and etc, however truth is truth neither you like it or not. Those are mainly people who did not suffer even a 1% of pain that Chechen people did. at least 35% of Chechens were killed in last two wars, about 40.000 of them were children. They burned people alive, just simple example, google "Samashki massacre" and thats from the war in 1994. The Search is about the second war 1999 which was much worst than the previous war. The history of Chechnya and Russia is horrible, there been so many wars in last 400 years, the history is indeed horrible.

This movie shows a very little percent of what was really happening in Chechnya, however it tells the truth, It's very disappointing that now days not many people really wants to hear the truth, not much people do really care and that's what movie tells as well.

The genocide of Jewish people, the genocide of Chechen and all the other people genocides, those are not only problem of certain people/nation but the problem and the issue of the world and all the people.

This is a very honest and based on a true stories movie, this isn't a comedy and action for fun, this is a movie that made with heart for the people that still care.

--- Dear Michel Hazanavicius,

Thank you very much for this movie from all the Chechen people around the world, one day in Independent Chechen Republic you will be our most welcomed guest. We believe in it.