Memorable, crazy movie

For all the hype it got I was expecting a lot more!

The film creates a perfect balance between action and depth of basic needs, in the midst of an infertile atmosphere.

This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.

Prior to the review, I ask readers to forgive my meager knowledge of English. I write to you from Russia. I was amused and annoyed by the concept, with which your writers (writers of film - I do not know how to write English is right) presented the Russian reality. Represent Russian murderers, thieves, maniacs, mentally handicapped is fundamentally not correct. It's the same thing as to present Germans as Nazis, Americans as fat, the French as a frog-eaters, the Italians as mobsters. We call it cranberry - a not real picture of Russia. I hope it is clear why I decided to name as your resume - Hello, Mr. Popcorn? Such a film can be viewed only by eating popcorn! Your government is out of ordinary Americans make zombies - and the film is likely to custom, to incite ethnic hatred between the Americans and Russian. You can easily see that I'm right - вы to visit Russia. You will not find the thugs, murderers, thieves, rapists, the snow (at least 7-9 months of the year there is no snow in Moscow!), Bears, accordion and balalaika, bears, hats ushanok, soldiers' uniforms to the ground, the red stars on the head and red flag. In 2008, Russia stood up for Ossetia, which does not want to be part of Georgia, along the lines of Quebec in Canada. The only difference is that Canada did not send troops to Quebec, to suppress the natural rights of nations to self- determination and sovereignty. Because Canada is a civilized country, in Georgia ruled by a dictator. This is pure politics, the United States maintains some dictators, Russia others. In this win-wrong and the U.S. and Russia, but we do not make movies about Gaddafi, do not make heroes of the tyrants. Wealthy Americans to visit in Ossetia is very easy, for 2-3 days. Ask themselves Ossetians - who is to blame for the war. Do not believe the lies. And think logically - Russian in the film is being shot from helicopters captured the village, but it is not logical! This is just one of hundreds of examples to prove the falsity of this film. PS: I ask, who knows English to correct written. I hope that one day the truth will prevail!

I found this movie well worth a watch. There are some faults but I think they aren't that major. The good points: Good on location feel. The battles and atrocities are quite well filmed. It's exciting and you feel part of the action. Shows the hard job faced by war correspondents. This is a war many don't know about or vaguely remember. So it's interesting to see a movie about a conflict that took place so recently in 2008. Interesting casting with most cast members playing nationalities they are not. Two Americans as Georgians: Andy Garcia as the Georgian President and Jonathan Schaech as a soldier. Rupert Friend, a British actor as an American journalist. Val Kilmer as a Dutch journalist. Emanuelle Chriqrui, a Canadian Morrocan as a Georgian lady the reporters befriend and who is trying to rescue her family. At least she looks her part.The faults: Some criticise that it was one sided showing the Russians as the sole perpetrators of atrocities. I guess it's up to the viewer to look more into what happened themselves. But don't most WWII movies focus on one side's point of view as well? So I think that criticism is a bit unfair.Another fault is there are some parts of the story that have a Rambo like action quality and unbelievability. It was a bit ridiculous at times during the rescue and scenes with the villains. This hurts the film but they had to make a story to entertain so I don't think it's that bad a fault.The movie wasn't successful financially and had bad reviews. Despite that I think it was entertaining and still worth a watch. It highlights a conflict not many people know about. For those who want action in a film might as well learn something about a little known war at the same time instead of just mindless action.

I think overall it was a good movie. Sure there may have been little too much propaganda but as more I watched the movie the more I started to thought about how disgusting can be one country towards others. As I remember this right one of the heads of Russia did said that the war was planned 2 years before it took place. So it is obvious that there where nothing to do with the people on South-Ossetia or Abkhazia. It was just an excuse. Also it is funny to hear about how Russian television has brainwashed the Russians, how Georgians started the war and so on. This brainwash has lasted 70 years or more. It is like North-Korea but a lighter version.

I could spend an hour writing a detailed play by play of the movie, but it's easier to say that yes... This is in fact a propaganda movie, so much so it uses the actual Georgian Army as "actors" for this film and using only Georgians as sources for the script.But with that aside, can it be considered a good movie regardless of it's fictional re-writing of history? Sadly this is also no, it has direct to DVD written all over it, If it hadn't been filmed in Georgia, using Georgian soldiers giving it a authentic look it would have nothing standing this movie up.I'll end this on a quote from Anna Neistat who works for "amnesty international" "This film portrays Russians and Ossetians as barbaric beasts and Georgians as peace angels." I couldn't sum it up any better Anna.