Strong and Moving!

I like Black Panther, but I didn't like this movie.

Your blood may run cold, but you now find yourself pinioned to the story.

While it is a pity that the story wasn't told with more visual finesse, this is trivial compared to our real-world problems. It takes a good movie to put that into perspective.

Without doubt the dirtiest war of the late 20th Century was the war in Chechnya . It was actually two wars from 1994to 1996 and flared up in to a second war that lasted from 1999 to 2007 and even today there's acts of sporadic violence . The wars have cost the Russians as much as 8,000 military while the Chechens themselves may have lost 250,000 people both combatants and civilian , a quarter of the population of Chechnya . The worst thing is neither can claim any moral high ground . The Chechens may claim to be victims of genocide but any resistance that involves massacring civilians at Russian schools , cinemas and hospitals has a hard time of claiming victim hood The most compelling account of the conflict comes from the pen of Arkady Babchenko in his book One Soldier's War In Chechnya . It tells of his time as a conscript in the Russian army in the first war and of his time as a regular volunteer in the second war . What quickly becomes apparent is what a brutal institution the Russian army is . Recruits spend the first year of their service under " the rule of the grandfathers " soldiers in their second year where recruits are subject to effective slavery at its most brutal and unrelenting which will shock anyone who has any military understanding PRISONER OF THE MOUNTAINS is set during the first Chechen war where two Russian soldiers , Sgt Kostylin and Private Zhilin , are captured by rebels . The film does allude to the structural gulf between an experienced soldier like Kostylin and a recruit like Zhilin , the older soldier doesn't believe the Chechens will trade the recruit because he's unimportant to the Russian army but this is quickly forgotten about as the film moves in to predictable and simplistic territory that states that no matter the conflict and the uniforms we wear we are all human beings caught up in situations made by others It's a well enough made film but by the same token there's nothing outstanding about it either . There's also the problem that if you've read Babchenko's book featuring the very real atrocities each side has committed against the other - in fact each side also commits atrocities on their own - then it does have a rather Walt Disney feel

Based on a short story by Tolstoy, Prisoner of the Mountains is a wonderful, bittersweet anti-war story directed by Sergei Bodrov. Two Russians soldiers - veteran Sacha (Oleg Menshikov) and rookie Vanya (Sergei Bodrov Jr.) are captured by Muslim rebels and kept in a remote mountain village, as Abdul-Murat (Jemal Sikharulidze) plans to exchange them with his son.Character relationships are the core of the movie. First, the camaraderie between the two prisoners - Sacha is cocky and bitter, Vanya is young and naive. The two have nothing in common aside for their captivity, but they slowly bond, and their growing friendship is so well-acted, it doesn't come across as clichéd. Even more interesting is the relationship between the two prisoners and their captors - Abdul-Murat, his young daughter Dina (an excellent Susanna Mekhralyeva) and their mute guard (Aleksandr Bureyev). A typical Hollywood movie would have made this sappy, but their interactions here are low-key and convincing.Menshikov is perfect as Sacha; the actor makes him increasingly likable as he bonds with Vanya and the rebels, but never loses the character's edge. Likewise, Bodrov Jr. gives a vivid portrayal of quiet Vanya. Sikharulidze plays Abdul-Murat as a cold but decent man who occasionally shows glimpses of kindness. And Mekhralyeva is magnificent as young Dina - one of the best performances by a child actress I have ever seen.Without spoiling anything, the bittersweet ending is powerful, effective and memorable. A must-see.10/10

I rented this film expecting something a bit different - maybe something in the style of "Kukushka" - a story with a deep understanding of human nature, but with a feel good ending. I got an even better film.This film sneaked into my heart slowly and quietly. Like Vanya, I grew to understand and love its characters, regardless of "sides". As the plot developed, I understood how easy it was for one side to mistake the other one's intentions; how tradition, so important for people's cultural survival, ended up working against them, fueling the fire that perpetuated the hate; how one side's disregard about the other one's culture/mentality, and the stereotypical way of looking at the enemy added to the mistrust and hatred between both sides.The story is told with cinematic brilliance: simply, almost austerely, with tiny details that make the viewer grow an affectionate, understanding eye for the characters: little Dina, with her lonely, pure heart, adorning herself for Vanya and telling him about her grandmother's necklace, or explaining with the wisdom of a grown-up why she and he could never marry; the children and the Muslim soldiers dancing and playing according to their customs; tongueless Hassan; Vanya's mother hitting the Russian commander when she realizes his methods would get her son killed instead of rescued, dare-devil Sacha with his phlegmatic, humorous yet realistic view on life and war; the Russian Commander's appreciation for good quality food and vodka, etc. Then, there are the human interactions between the two sides: the Russian soldiers trading weapons for vodka with the enemy; the Muslim soldiers showing respect for the two Russian prisoners who managed to clear a road of mines and stay alive; Hassan procuring alcohol for the two prisoners and letting them dance and enjoy themselves, the Muslim villager asking Vanya to fix his clock...The cinematography is excellent; the beauty of the film comes not from any artificially enhanced imaging of the beautiful, harsh landscape, but from authenticity and masterful lens work. This film is unadulterated by big budget glitzy details; one almost feels is watching a documentary of the life in that part of the world, which makes the plot of the film hit like real events would and affect us almost as if we were on that mountain too.Many people are killed in this film, yet one feels there are no good or bad characters, only human beings locked in a conflict that perpetuates itself, because each side's quest for justice is confused with exacting retribution or revenge. Vanya and, eventually, Abdul see that, but like everyone else, they're prisoners of their own circumstances. The film's ending tore at my heart. As the helicopters were flying towards the village, I realized that was the only logical, true to life ending. A happy end that would please the viewer, where things were clarified and Abdul's final act of humanity and compassion was not fruitless, was not possible without turning the film into a fairy tale for adults.A complex, poignant story told in a masterful way.

There are probably a lot of prejudices people have against Russian film. Mine were gone after I had seen this one."Kavkazskij plennik" is a film about a youth who's being sent to Chechnya to fight for the Russian army. He's together with another Russian soldier being captured in Chechnya by an older Chechnyan man who wants to change them for his own son, who's is being held by the Russians. There being locked into an old house high among the Caucasian mountains. Soon a friendship develops between them and young girl who brings them food and water. This movie was made after and during the last months of the first Chechnyan war. Everybody's a victim and there is nothing to win in this war, specially for the Russians. It is just a matter of how much you lose. The persons in this film do not hate each other because their fighting on different sides. The Chechnyans probably hates what these Russian soldiers represent, but they know that this war isn't caused by these two Russians. They are both just a small, meaningless part of it. Russia does not give a damn about their lives, probably because it's leaders have lost the humane touch, while calculating their offensives. Lives have been reduced into numbers on white sheet. But there are people who care, even among the "enemies". Normal people still show respect for humanity.The rhythm of the movie is great, it leaves the viewer enough time to think and also find the deeper thoughts from the movie. The music is well selected too, I just cant get that tune out of my head. This together with a realistic humane aspect gives this movie a strong pacifistic tune. Definitely worth to take a look at.