9th Company

This film has beautiful cinematography, engaging characters and some solid performances. The plot, based on true events was worthy of a film and the high budget scenes were impressive. On the downside, the big finale battle scene was logistically unbelievable unless the Soviets were firing blanks and the Mujahideen were superhuman. A little budget spent on more extras or some CGI would have made the weight of numbers feel believable. Also, the film could easily have lost 40 minutes to the cutting room floor and been better for it. There were some memorable and convincing scenes here but too much chaff for the wheat. Worth a watch for some insight on that campaign but don't expect Band of Brothers

Really didn't expect more than, this is.. Like all Russian movies, it's trying to glorify Russian soldiers which always win in glory for their motherland... Booring...

Does anyone praising this film know the definition of plagiarism? Bondarchuk has ripped off Vladimir Bortko's 1990 film, Afganskiy izlom. Someone who has seen both films would recognize the identical shots immediately. Instead of praising Bondarchuk for a self-promoting film that is not only wrong factually but also racist in its portrayal of Afghans as culturally abnormal if not downright blood-thirsty, true Soviet patriots should stand up for Bortko's accurate and humanistic portrayal of the Soviet-Afghan conflict. The Afghans in Bortko's film speak proper Russian, bare their faces, and have dreams for their country other than killing Russians. Most important, Bortko's depiction of Russians fighting in Aghanistan as conflicted, emotionally weary and displaced souls transforms their cause into something greater than trite patriotism or brotherhood -- searching for rationality in war.

9th Company is worth a watch, if nothing else because it's a high-end Russian production about the Soviet war in Afghanistan. The film contains high production values and lots of blood and violence. Character development is competent. Other than that, it never really breaks out of the pack of other war films. It's part Full Metal Jacket and part Platoon, premised on a similar situation--innocent young men struggle against a nameless, non- descript enemy in a war they would not, absent the politicians, be fighting. Men come together in training, they fight each other, they fight their designated enemy, they suffer.

This is by far the worst war movie i have ever seen. The characters are unrealistic and super unlikeable.. the drill sergant was the only cool guy in the whole movie. There is little action and the action we get is again unrealistic. The cgi sucks.. the story sucks , everything about 9th company sucks.

This movie does not have super heros. Just facts. It was interesting to watch it after reading a book about war in Afganistan from other soldier in same time. Movie emforced what what I imagined while reading a book.

At times the acting was a bit overdone but as a whole I think they did a great job conveying the innocence of the young soldier in a confusing and hostile environment. The action sequences were very well done and even the mundane lapses in the defense are well documented. After all, war isn't always action-packed. I especially enjoyed the boot camp sequence, very reminiscent of Kubric's Full Metal Jacket. There are even some scenes that reminded me of Platoon, like the arrival to Afghanistan. All said and done, I would highly recommend this film to anyone w/ even an iota of interest in the Soviet's invasion of Afghanistan.

...about how the perspectives shape our view of reality. ...about how absolutely archaic human nature is, despite all proclaimed progress....about how universal is the courage and valor of an individiual... about realizing being a pawn and playing the role to its best... about the reasons for the identical fate of the current western involvment in afghanistan... I have always seen war movies as propaganda dumps, which, with few notable exceptions, they were. Well, this is one of the exceptions. It may force you to change some of your beliefs. It may change your opinion. It may bring you to learn more about history. It may help you accept some new chapters of reality. It may touch you for a second - If only that, it is enough.