Painfully realistic and actual

Rating: 9/10 (7 November 2006)

This is probably the most haunting movie I have ever seen. The 20 minutes long village scene is something else. Unique. It makes you understand that the expression "ethnic cleansing" is just a politically correct expression that takes you away from reality. In fact the expression is cleaning the conversations. This scene shows you human nature at it's worst. And you sure don't forget. Yes, it's propaganda as the "Rise of the third Reich in reverse" scene clearly demonstrates. But the film was made in 1985 and depicts events that happened in 1942, so I can live with that. This movie will change you. This is how powerful it is. Don't expect action packed spectacular scenes, you'll be sorely disappointed. Like a lot of Russian movies, this is more intellectual. It makes you reflect on your set of values and the state of the world we live in. The sad fact is that such events are still happening somewhere as you read this. Potent stuff.