72 metra (2004)

Every second is precious for a Russian submarine crew, as they are stranded 72 meters below the ocean's surface.

Director:

Vladimir Khotinenko

Writers:

Aleksandr Pokrovsky (novels), Valeri Zalotukha

Stars:

Sergey Makovetskiy, Marat Basharov, Andrey Krasko

2 wins & 5 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Sergey Makovetskiy	...	Chernenko
Marat Basharov	...	Captain-Leutenant Pyotr Orlov
Andrey Krasko	...	1st Class Captain Yanychar
Dmitriy Ulyanov	...	Captain-Leutenant Ivan Murav'yov
Chulpan Khamatova	...	Nelly
Stanislav Nikolski	...	Seaman Molodoy
Sergey Garmash	...	Senior Warrant Officer Nikolai Krauz
Vladislav Galkin	...	Senior Warrant Officer Mikhajlov
Igor Livanov	...	3rd Class Captain Konovalenko
Artyom Mikhalkov	...	Warrant Officer Nechayev
Sergey Yarmolyuk	...	Senior Warrant Officer Legkostupov
Aleksandr Pashkov	...	Petty Officer Turayev
Aleksey Zelensky	...	Petty Officer, Sonar Operator
Amadu Mamadakov	...	Sailor Mukambetov
Nikita Emshanov	...	Sailor Deryugin

Storyline

The film begins in the 1980s Soviet Union. Two best friends, Orlov and Muravyev, are serving at the Black Sea Navy Base in Sevastopol, Crimea. Both fall in love with one beautiful girl Nelly, and their friendship suffers a first blow. Because she picks Muravyev, his friend Orlov struggles with an inferiority complex and becomes a secretive alcoholic. After the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, both friends are transferred to the Northern Fleet on the Polar Ocean. One day their sub is performing a routine training. A disturbed WWII mine slowly moves on a collision course with the sub. A mighty blast knocks down everyone inside the wrecked sub, 72 meters below the sea level. Then ensues a nerve-racking struggle for survival.

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Plot Keywords:

submarine crew | comrade | submarine movie | underwater | pressure | 

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Genres:

Drama | Action | Thriller

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Did You Know?

Connections

References U-571 (2000)

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Soundtracks

Over the Waves
Music by Juventino Rosas

User Reviews

If I could give this film a zero, I would give it

The only modern Russian film I can label a total failure (given it was directed by Khotinenko, formerly the leader of 1980s Russian intellectual cinema).

Nothing and nobody worked well in this piece of crap. How can one shoot a film which is a total disaster given the best opportunities provided: Ennio Morricone as a music composer, Chulpan Khamatova (the best Russian cinema actress (along with Ingeborga Dapkunaite)) as a leading female hero, enormous funds of Russia's Channel One, good (meaning cheap:) connections with the military allowing to use resources of the Russian Navy, and a plenty of good examples of "submarine movies"?

It is almost impossible to make a bad submarine movie nowadays given the stunning (e.g. Das Boot by Wolfgang Petersen) or simply good like "K-19" or "U-571" sub film examples. "72m" even employs some citations from Das Boot which means that somebody from the film crew has seen that film:)) - however, ineffectively.

One might argue this was the first experience of a "blockbuster" film by contemporary Russian TV producers - I regret they have not realized that they should better shoot their TV-series crap than to spoil the perception of the great Russian cinema. I mean the great Russian directors like Eisenstein, Kozintsev, Pudovkin, Dovzhenko, Klimov, Tarkovsky, etc. just whirl in their coffins when somebody tries to judge about the Russian cinema thinking of the "72 meters".

The same producers later delivered the "Night Watch" - an evenly questionable, though better shot, piece of film. So there is some hope for Russian viewers - maybe the Channel One (ORT) producers in a dozen of films will learn what they had to learn at a film school which nobody of them have attended.

Please do not waste your time or money. 0/10.

Details

Official Sites:

official site [Russia]

Country:

Russia

Language:

Russian Ukrainian

Release Date:

12 February 2004 (Russia)

Also Known As:

72 Meters

Filming Locations:

Gadzhiev, Russia

Box Office

Budget:

$1,600,000 (estimated)

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$2,392,932

Company Credits

Production Co:

Channel One Russia, Studio Trite

Technical Specs

Runtime:

115 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1