Review by ops-52535

In an era of saberclinging at the eastern front these days, a film that is meant to encourage the young and bold to stand up for the motherland whatever and whenever and very much adressed into current issues. That said and put aside, comes the romantic interludes where love litterally makes men loose half their heads, and where marriage proposals and acceptations is done in the pillboxes and trenches of the battle of podolsk 1941., its seems like a quater of the troops gets a headshot will jumping around hooraying ones first kill, and gets shot dead instantly by better trained troops., do take in consideration that the story based on true events is about artilley cadets/ pupils without combat training, and that may explain a lot.

The prodction management though is probably some of the best ive seen in a russian film over the last few years, good equipment, nice explotions and realistic visual effect, which there is much of., the fight scenes are quite short but impressive even for a grumpy old man.

Acting as mentioned quite cheesy, optimistic and made to act as if they were gun fodder for the germans, historicallythe russian soldiers where 2 men on one rifle at the battle fields of 2nd ww, so maybe thats why. To make a hollywood comparition on the human aspects i feel ''pearl harbour '' couldve fallen in the same cathegory.

But by all means its a watchable movie, but slow and long playtime, sad and emotional at times as per prescription, i give a recommend.