Admirable film.

A different way of telling a story

I wanted to like it more than I actually did... But much of the humor totally escaped me and I walked out only mildly impressed.

It’s sentimental, ridiculously long and only occasionally funny

Unlike films made about war, this one paints the soul of the young recruit in different ways to capture a unique Russian feeling. The first half of the film is about seasoning the body for battle but reflected in the eyes of each boy. There is nothing new here except the director is able to capture moments that any soldier can understand.I found this part of the film extremely powerful and much better than what American and British directors have been able to produce even for some excellent films (Sean Connery in the Hill, Kirk Douglas in Paths of Glory.) Lots of viewers compare 9th Company with Platoon. It's like saying apples and oranges are fruits but both are very different.The second half of the film becomes an obligatory showcase of battle and death that movies of this type require. Here again the flavor of Russian patriotism, or lack thereof is emphasized. Again the director shows flair and some interesting editing but many war movies have done this equally well. So its not boring but also not introspective.The best war movie ever is also Russian "Come and See". You should watch this and compare. I did and it knocked me over more so than the 9th Company which I still recommend worth seeing.

The film 9th Company follows a group of Russian soldiers as they fight a bloody war in Afghanistan. This premise is what originally drew me to the film. The Russian invasion of Afghanistan is one that has not been widely covered in TV and films despite its historical significance. This war is often referred to as Russia's Vietnam after all. The film itself was entertaining at times but frankly just another war movie that will blend into the background. The film follows the typical narrative of a group of soldiers who originally hate each other but eventually learn to work together for survival and form lasting friendships. Almost all of the characters are sickeningly stereotypical with the exception of an artist who loves war and finds it "beautiful". Otherwise there are the jerks, the wimps and the crazies that seem to occupy most war movies. The group also seems to bond way too quickly. One minute they are at each other's throats and the next they are best buds. The action in the film is often boring and very forgettable. The filmmakers could also have done a much better job of creating tension in the film. Most films that deal with fighting an insurgency create a sense of dread and tension every time soldiers go on a patrol. This cements the idea that any moment could be their last. Perhaps my biggest problem with the film involves the depiction of the Mujahedeen. There is one exceptional scene in the film where an officer is describing the country of Afghanistan itself and the different groups that live there. The officer states that no one has ever conquered Afghanistan….no one. This scene shows the tremendous respect the officer has for the Mujahedeen as well as the futility of the conflict as a whole. After this scene however any attempts to portray the Mujahedeen as human beings falls flat. The final battle scene depicts the Mujahedeen as a giant horde, each person indistinguishable from the next. This dehumanizes the Russian's enemy and betrays all previous attempts depict the Mujahedeen as fellow human beings. All in all 9th Company is a poor war film that tries way too hard to portray the Russian's as the "good guys". The filmmakers seem to forget that in war nothing is black and white.

A Russian war film that follows the exploits of a band of green soldiers as they undergo basic training before flying to Afghanistan, where they will take part in Russia's ill-attempted war in that country in the late 1980s.Having never watched a Russian war film before, I was excited about this one. Unfortunately, where 9TH COMPANY falls down is in its slavish adherence to war movie clichés and plot themes familiar from dozens of Hollywood movies that have come before. FULL METAL JACKET s a particular reference point as it follows that film's structure down to the smallest detail.Recent Russian cinema has a tendency to be bombastic and over-the-top, as was the case with recent vampire hit NIGHT WATCH. Here we get lots of overblown slow motion, drawn out scenes of the utmost emotion and some ridiculously over the top moments of melodrama.Sadly, it's also a film roughly twice as long as it needs to be, with long scenes of male bonding and dialogue that really drained my energy. The characters are bland and as a whole the cast has few standouts, although the deranged drill sergeant is a highlight. The climax is a bit silly but generally exciting and well-staged, a shot of adrenaline at the end of an otherwise sometimes sleep-inducing experience.This isn't a bad film by any means, but Kubrick did it first.

Aside from some beautiful heli shots, the entire movie was a complete waste of time. It is possibly the slowest moving movie I have ever seen, and the climax is anything but. For those of you who love to watch anything related to war (I am not one), there are MUCH better movies out there depicting recruits. Hardcore military fanatics who have seen every war movie ever made might watch it for the unique Russian take, but ultimately it's just so dry it's painful to watch.Save your life and do something else with your time.