I saw this movie when I did my tour of duty in the Dutch Army, as a loader on a main battle tank. There aren't really much movies played in a tank, but this one is and pretty realistic (other than Rambo where he drives, en shoots with a tank = impossible). The claustrophobic effect is nice portrayed like the u-boat movie Das Boot.
But this movie is more than another war-movie, it has more levels. The differences of opinion between two men in a tank crew shows parallels with Platoon. The country loyal, but ruthless Russian commander is like the Barnes character of Platoon. And the Elias side, the more human character is played by the tank driver, probably the most intelligent person on the tank, who despises the cruel decisions of the tank commander and questions the motive of the Russian government, and the stress and tension in the tank rises to boiling point, not helped by the constant thread of the Afghan mujahedin.
Eventually the driver gets more and more respect for the mujahedin. Like a kind of happens in Lawrence of Arabia or Dances with Wolves. This Afghan warriors are hopelessly out gunned, with only horses and old guns, it's really David against Goliath. This group (with it's leader surprisingly played by Scarface's sidekick Steve Bauer) is also divided, as one part are only interested in money and equipment.
Excellent and underrated war-movie, I suspect the title is not chosen wisely.
But this movie is more than another war-movie, it has more levels. The differences of opinion between two men in a tank crew shows parallels with Platoon. The country loyal, but ruthless Russian commander is like the Barnes character of Platoon. And the Elias side, the more human character is played by the tank driver, probably the most intelligent person on the tank, who despises the cruel decisions of the tank commander and questions the motive of the Russian government, and the stress and tension in the tank rises to boiling point, not helped by the constant thread of the Afghan mujahedin.
Eventually the driver gets more and more respect for the mujahedin. Like a kind of happens in Lawrence of Arabia or Dances with Wolves. This Afghan warriors are hopelessly out gunned, with only horses and old guns, it's really David against Goliath. This group (with it's leader surprisingly played by Scarface's sidekick Steve Bauer) is also divided, as one part are only interested in money and equipment.
Excellent and underrated war-movie, I suspect the title is not chosen wisely.