9th Company Reviews

9th Company

A good russian movie, modern day war movie on a par with 'Full Metal Jacket' and 'Platoon'. The Film is based on a true story, and follows a small group of young Russian soldiers, from the trials of initial training to their arrival in the heart of the Afganistan war zone in 1989. The action in Afganistan is not like the expected at all. It is very bloody and dirty. The 9th company is defending the hill 3234. They are hopelessly calling for help. As the battle that raged on the forgotten company who fought on, unaware the war had ended.

This is a good example of Russian Cinema, using the American 'NAM' film type, It works well, and done with a budget that would be small change to an American Film.

Welcome to the cheap seats

This is a well made drama, which, not as genre defining as 'Das Boot', is a well acted and visually appealing flick. Recommended!

[Highly rated reviewer]

A blast from the past

Back during the Cold War, the Soviet Union competed with the USA with an 'anything you can do ...' attitude. So, while the States whisked its Senators round in Cadillacs, the Russians answered with the 'Seagull' for its Commissars. It looked more or less the same (though a bit bigger, naturally) but never really had the same style (a target for jokes then and nostalgia pushers now).

Old attitudes die hard and have been brought back to life in 9th Company: it's just like a classic old-time American war movie but in Russian, with, to contemporary ears, some quaint old-style language (though this may be the subtitler's fault). For sure, it's well filmed and does keep your attention, more or less, throughout: production quality saves the film from turning into a complete parody.

The film features the usual assorted collection of lads, led by a tough but fair sergeant-major, and as each meets his gory end, you are left to reflect on the value of life and the futility of war. There's no insight into the Red Army's famous cruelty to its enlisted men, or why they were in Afghanistan in the first place: it's an identikit war movie, where only the flags and uniforms have been changed. I wonder if they’ll ever do a Taliban version?

The film took ages to download: several hours, far longer than it took to watch (and I've got broadband); just like the old Soviet diplomats, who took ages to deliver the long-established party line.

Anyone remember the soviet army ?

This film has elements of 'Hamburger Hill' and 'We Were Soldiers' in it. It is a classic war film in as much as it covers the training and deployment of a fresh platoon , and thrusts this team into the middle of a war zone. It a good solid war film showing the soviet soldiers side of the Afghanistan war. I think that this film is probably shown for trainining purposes to british troops serving in Afghanistan today. The Russians got a early taste of what fate awaits a non muslim army operating in an islamic state. You also get to understand how and why the Afghans have expelled every occupying army since alexander the great. Remember though this film is in russian with subtitles. Otherwise it probably would have been a much bigger film.

avoid unless you know russian

could'nt watch this as the film is all in russian and the subtitles do not work, tried it in several players with no success, seems to be set in afganistan no idea when

[Highly rated reviewer]

Not much new here

Start with shots of new recruits as they are about to begin life in training, followed by training life with a tough, screaming, training officer; gradual bonding of the recruits; a last night before being shipped out to action (this time it is Afghanistan); the horror of war as most of the company get killed.

You will have seen similiar in many Western films.

The points which make this worth watching are that we have Soviet troops in Afghanistan at the end of the Soviet campaign - so a story we, in the West, may have little knowledge of. Also, if you are looking for some modern reference, then just transpose to 2007, and imagine the current multi nation forces (well armed, and trained) seeking to deal with local 'insurgents/Taliban' (knowledgeable of the terrain, mixing in with the civilian population, fanatical).

[Highly rated reviewer]

subtitled

this was for my husband but he gave up half way into the story as it was subtitled and hes not a great lover of these fims and it was over three discs so he gave in.so no rating can be possible

[Highly rated reviewer]

Learn to read!

Great film. I have to take issue with people who review a film unfavourably because they either can't read, or can't be bothered to read subtitles. Mystifying!

9th Company

I loved this film, although normally a film about war is not my cup of tea, the interaction between the characters and the believable dialogue between them made this a great film. Ignore that its subtitled, you soon slip in to the habit of watching the action and keeping up with the dialogue anyway.

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[Highly rated reviewer]

Do Rent this Movie

The subtitles certainly do NOT obstruct what is happening in the film.

It's an excellent film, and explores the forced adjustment of young russian boys from everyday civilisation, when they are thrown into Afghanistan and then through a sequence of events and failure of the radio, forgotten.

This resulted in them being targeted by the Afghans as a huge Russian withdrawal was taking place.

It's similar to the America film Full Metal Jacket, except with a gritty and realistic edge to it.

It also highlights the huge sacrifices made in the past by human beings, and how they can be largely forgotten and unappreciated at home.

Like most battle films, the pointlessness of war rises to the surface towards the end of the film.