Eerie masterpiece by Elem Klimov

Rating: 9/10 (11 September 2019)

"Idi i smotri" directed and co-written by Elem Klimov, in my opinion, portrays the horrors of WWII with more grit, brutality and vulnerability than any other film has done it. The film is littered in atmosphere and claustrophobia.
Still, it is magnificent to watch, with beautiful camera work exemplified through creative pans, stunning long takes and tracking shots. Cinematographer Aleksey Rodionov did an absolutely fantastic job, harnessing the potential of the 4:3 aspect ratio.
Lead actor Aleksey Kravschenko makes an incredible performance at portraying a boy who finds a rifle and wants to join the Sovjet army.
It is a film of great artistic contrast, seeming both spontaneous, organic, and authentic, yet controlled, deliberate, while even displaying numerous beautiful and crushing metaphors to the dehumanization forced upon so many innocents by the Nazis.
An incredibly powerful and important statement in human history, as well as a seminal masterpiece in the history of cinema.