A military action movie. As promised, I did check out this picture, which has quite laudatory reviews from critics and viewers - and I liked this picture, because it was filmed "hot on the heels" of specific historical events in the CAR in 2020 (the coup attempt). And after watching the paintings "The Best in Hell" and "Granite" I would not have been able to pass by the "Tourist". And here 's my brief opinion for you - As PMCs fighters "Wagner" TSAR was saved. There were both pros and cons in the picture, which are worth talking about. And with this, we will finish such an important introduction, and get to the point.
So, the pros:
1. Scenario - 2020. TSAR. A new group of Russian military from the PMCs arrives in the country at the invitation of the local government "Wagner" (although the company name is not pronounced directly). The task of our guys is to train the local army, police and gendarmerie in all the basics of strategy and tactics, so that they turn from a herd of sheep in a beautiful uniform into a strong and cohesive force that can ensure order and security in the country. And just at this time, local militants, with the support of interested Western curators, are putting forward their gangs and preparing to take the capital of the CAR, Bangui. The situation for our guys is not the most pleasant, because there is an embargo on large-caliber weapons in the country, and it is impossible for our people to participate in hostilities, but the difficult situation dictates its own rules, and a small detachment of Russians, together with a detachment of the local FACA army, is preparing to take the blow of a large gang of militants. Along the way, a conflict is unfolding between a newly arrived fighter under the call sign "Tourist" and an experienced fighter under the call sign "Layout". During the timing, we will be allowed to get used to these two so dissimilar people, and how they heroically fight against superior enemy forces. And the finale of the picture will make you happy for the fact that there are heroes in Russia who are ready for anything for the sake of justice. Frankly speaking, the script is not outstanding, but it fits perfectly for a great military action movie.
2. Fighting - that's what the creators of the paintings "The Best in Hell" and "Granite" are able to do, so it's in the fighting, which are shown almost documentarily, because they were filmed under the strict supervision of the PMCs itself. Our Russian guys act professionally, applying tactics and strategy, skillfully using local allies, and local African specifics, without which nowhere. After all, the picture was shot on the scene, in the CAR itself, where the events took place (and there is still a civil war going on there, which broke out again in 2012). What can I say, our guys against the background of the local army look like three hundred Spartans against the background of the countless army of the Persians (although the latter is a stable myth, which in reality was not). Mercenaries from Chad tried to compete with our guys (in fact, the same military, only without insignia), but even these fighters trained by French instructors could not do anything with our guys, who rolled them into a cake. Thanks again to the creators for their professionalism in this regard, for this I sincerely respect you.
3. Context - well, finally, I waited, if there was a complete failure with context in "The Best in Hell" or in "Granite" (there was practically no context), then interactive maps were brought here, and a text help with important information was adjusted, and dynamic cutting with the general situation during this very operation there is. There are not enough details, but the main thing is that all important information is conveyed to the viewer, partly in dialogues, and mostly in the ways listed above.
4. The main characters are "Tourist" and "Layout", and the rest are disclosed well, but we are pampered with details only about the first two. In "The Best in Hell" and "Granite" there was no such thing. Yes, they will not tell us about them immediately, but as we dive into the local vicissitudes. Therefore, the "Tourist" from an artistic point of view is better than the rest of the paintings from this line.
5. The atmosphere is the TSAR as it is, without embellishment and hypocrisy, a poor country that is torn apart by both internal chimeras and external opponents who have their own goals for the republic, and among all this is Russia, which has sent its instructors to the republic, who can help in real combat, so that on this Justice has been restored to the earth, and to gain a valuable ally in central Africa. The picture was shot in the CAR itself, where after the premiere there was a national holiday on the streets of Bangui. Add here the acclimatization of our guys, prevention against malaria, the peculiarities of the local population and the mentality itself - and you get a great atmosphere.
So, disadvantages:
1. Interaction with the locals - let me explain, maybe this is not a disadvantage, I just saw something like this in Granite. In fact, the Russian guys saved the capital with their decisions, but the locals where they cowardly fled, and where they fought heroically, and where they simply surrendered to the militants. The High Command of the CAR does not take any measures at all to protect its own capital and the civilian population. Elementary can not set up roadblocks, organize roadblocks and reinforced detachments of local fighters and Russian military. All this was proposed and done by our guys. Apparently I don't understand the local mentality.
2. Timing is more of a quibble. I wanted more, not one fight on the basis of FACA, but several Wagnerian fights with militants. The whole picture looks easy, there are a lot of dynamics, but the scale is very lacking. Thank you for doing without losses (which is rare in such a movie).
3. Music - "Leningrad"! Seriously? This is clearly out of place here. It's just so out of the atmosphere that it's amazing. It would be better to write normal music for such a good action movie.
The "tourist" was clearly worth my time. The actors played well, and there is no one to single out except Alexey Shevchenkov (Mock-up) and Vladimir Petrov (Tourist). After all , against the background of other pictures about PMCs "Wagner" "Tourist" looks better, especially artistically. Yes, and you can revise it.
My rating is 9 out of 10 and my recommendation for viewing!
