9 rota (2005)

User Rating:

7.3/10   

Director:

Fyodor Bondarchuk

Writer:

Yuriy Korotkov (writer)

Release Date:

29 September 2005 (Belarus)

Genre:

Action | Drama | History | War

Tagline:

They stood together while their country fell apart

Plot:

Young Soviet Army recruits are stuck in the bloody war in Afghanistan, that was started by politicians.

Plot Keywords:

Afghanistan | Boot Camp | Army | 1980s | Death

Awards:

2 wins

Cast

Fyodor Bondarchuk	...	Khokhol
Aleksey Chadov	...	Vorobey
Mikhail Yevlanov	...	Ryaba
Ivan Kokorin	...	Chugun
Artyom Mikhalkov	...	Stas
Konstantin Kryukov	...	Gioconda
Artur Smolyaninov	...	Lyutyi
Mikhail Porechenkov	...	Praporshik Dygalo
Irina Rakhmanova	...	Belosnezhka - 'Snow White'
Aleksey Serebryakov	...	Kapitan
Mikhail Efremov	...	Dembel
Aleksei Kravchenko	...	Kapitan Bystrov
Andrei Krasko	...	Kompolka v Afgane
Stanislav Govorukhin	...	Kompolka v Uchebke
Aleksandr Bashirov	...	Pomidor

Also Known As:

9th Company (UK) (USA)
9 РОТА (Russia)
9. komppania (Finland)
9th Legion (Europe: English title)
The 9th Company (International: English title)

Runtime:

139 min

Country:

Finland | Russia | Ukraine

Language:

Russian

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Finland:K-15 | UK:15 | Argentina:13 | South Korea:15 | Germany:16

Filming Locations:

Crimea, Ukraine

Company:

Art Pictures Group

Trivia:

Presidents of Ukraine and Uzbekistan extended their patronage over the production of the film.

Quotes:

[from trailer]
Hohol: This is war! They don't put low grades here! They kill!

Movie Connections:

Features Full Metal Jacket (1987)

The Forgotten Company

In 1998, a group of youngsters enlist in Siberia to fight in Afghanistan against the mujahidin. They are sent to a boot camp in Fergana, Uzbekistan, where they are submitted to the brutality and abuses of the disturbed Sergeant Dygalo (Mikhail Porechenkov) during the training period, increasing their camaraderie. Then they are airborne to Bagram Base in Afghanistan; join the 9th Company; and move to the Khowst Province, 3234 m height, to defend the mountain and protect the convoys with supplies. When the soviets retreat from Afghanistan, they are forgotten and slaughtered in the mountains.

The screenplay of "9 Rota" follows the structure of "Full Metal Jacket", focusing a group of rookie recruits trained by a sadistic sergeant in a training camp in the first half, and their battles in Afghanistan in the second half along 1988 and 1989 when the war ended with the withdraw of the Soviet forces from the Afghanistan. The plot alternates between tense and violent scenes, but also relieves with sequences of comradeship, sex with Snow White and jokes during the training period. Further than that, it is a great anti-war feature based on a true event, and the plot shows how pointless and senseless the war is supported by magnificent cinematography and battle scenes. The lead characters are very well developed, creating a great empathy between the viewer and them. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): "9o Pelotão" ("9th Platoon")