This is an excellent film and one that will stand the test of time. Brilliant acting, story and filming and one of my top 10 foreign language films without a doubt. A road movie from East to West with an unlikely hero you can root for, on a mission against the odds in a situation thats not been done before, with great action scenes, fantastic soundtrack and top acting. Best Russian language film of 2000's and one that anyone interested in Russian or European cinema must see.
On a sad note I am very surprised at the criticism I've seen here. Some people have turned these reviews into Russian v American sub-cultures which is easy to do if you're that type of person as this film is unlike a lot of things people may be used to. It might seem strange for US audiences with the Russians being the good guys but very very flawed good guys,and the Americans being the baddies, but is this not allowed? Not all the Americans are portrayed as bad nor all the Russians as good, Ben the truck driver comes across as a lovely man! Do you think there's no Americans involved in organised crime? Or that all black ghettos welcome white strangers with open arms? I don't see the problem. It's this small minded, one dimensional thinking that makes the rest of the world dislike Americans, not just the Tea Party, moronic gun totting Americans, but the Liberal fascists (and Brits are not exempt from this either I should add) who bully and name call those with a different point of view and different cultural norms. This is a great film, made from a different country that holds different values and I personally can't fault it!
On a sad note I am very surprised at the criticism I've seen here. Some people have turned these reviews into Russian v American sub-cultures which is easy to do if you're that type of person as this film is unlike a lot of things people may be used to. It might seem strange for US audiences with the Russians being the good guys but very very flawed good guys,and the Americans being the baddies, but is this not allowed? Not all the Americans are portrayed as bad nor all the Russians as good, Ben the truck driver comes across as a lovely man! Do you think there's no Americans involved in organised crime? Or that all black ghettos welcome white strangers with open arms? I don't see the problem. It's this small minded, one dimensional thinking that makes the rest of the world dislike Americans, not just the Tea Party, moronic gun totting Americans, but the Liberal fascists (and Brits are not exempt from this either I should add) who bully and name call those with a different point of view and different cultural norms. This is a great film, made from a different country that holds different values and I personally can't fault it!