Cargo 200

Balabanov's films are always aggressive. This one is a prominent dramatic film about the last years of the Soviet Union. Of course, many people say it is a horrible movie. Yes it is, but c'est la vie, our life is horrible and it is snobbish to argue with it. It is like a cold shower. The soundtrack is excellent, the actors are good enough, and the views of a decaying town are dreadfully beautiful. You really must see this movie if you still think our ex-country was a cool place to live. One of the best Balabanov's films. It is much better than 'Of Freaks and Men' because here the shocking effect is made not just to make people feel bad but to understand our rotten reality. Russian films become better and better

Lars Von Trier and Coen brothers can retire. A must!

This is the best Balabanov's movie so far. May be it is not appreciated yet (just 6.9 points) but it is a masterpiece. A very honest look back at the 80's, very dark of course - not the Red Square and Pokrovsky Cathedral, sorry. I liked his movie "Of Freaks and Men", was disappointed by "Zhmurki", but with "Cargo" Balabanov is back and better than ever.

This is a very important movie especially for Russians who are rethinking now their Soviet past, but for Americans also, for obvious reasons... The term "cargo 200" was given to soldiers who found their way back to the motherland in zinc coffins.

Yes, this is a shocking movie but a good one. People, especially abroad, need to see films like this, to get a picture of the horrors that took place in the SSSR and try understand the dark side of the human nature. Similar things, if not worse, are happening all over the place but at least Alexey Balabanov had the guts to talk about it in an explicit and honest manner. I, personally, think of this film as a very disturbing documentary which can also provide study material for sociologists, psychologists, psychiatrists but also people in positions of power (politicians mainly) who are mostly responsible for horrors of the modern society. Also, movies aren't just Hollywood and why not talk about real life for a change. It's time people opened up their eyes and their minds, too. I did find the music, although highly acclaimed by the critics and well liked by its fans, a little irritating. I do however understand its role in the movie so that's why I voted 9. Well done the actors, and well done Mr Balabanov!

It's like a bad dream. You want to turn it off but you cannot. No matter how much you are dissapointed in humankind or cynical you always have some hopes left in you. This movie will bring you to the limit. Nothing exists beyond that. The worst part is you don't realize you're watching a movie, it's so real.

The title of the film is a code name for the return home of a body from the battle field. The reason why this title is chosen becomes clear early in the film - but the build of the film would allow a lot of different titles and each one of them would be matching for this film goes far beyond a body returning from the battle field. As the story rolls the film switches back and forth between a number of people and tells their respective tales - and the way all of them connect in one way or the other. The stories are not altogether happy but are not too dark either so the film doesn't turn too dreary. It is very grim though. As each of the stories turns to its conclusion one can not escape the biting cold reality of them.

Played out well enough to be believable and quick enough to be entertaining this film does pretty well. It's ending is fitting, its after-taste is bitter. But, above all, it's an interesting watch.

8 out of 10 broken bottles of vodka