6.7 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 3.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
A year in the shared lives of a group of young soldiers drafted to serve in Afghanistan during the final year of the Soviet conflict. It is a story of the unit s dedication to each other during their valiant defense of Height 3234...a futile battle.
Starring: Artur Smolyaninov, Konstantin Kryukov, Mikhail Porechenkov, Fyodor Bondarchuk, Mikhail EvlanovWar | 100% |
History | 63% |
Drama | 49% |
Foreign | 31% |
Action | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
Russian: Dolby Digital 2.0
English: Dolby Digital 5.1
English
25GB Blu-ray Disc
Two-disc set (2 BDs)
Bonus View (PiP)
Region A (B, C untested)
Movie | 3.0 | |
Video | 4.0 | |
Audio | 3.0 | |
Extras | 2.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
This isn't basic training, this is war. You don't get bad grades, you get killed.
9th Company is a film of lofty ambitions and admirable goals, though it never quite achieves
its desired level of effectiveness as either an anti-war commentary or as memorable War picture that
was destined to nestle up alongside the genre's greats. Instead, first-time Director Fyodor
Bondarchuk's picture moves along at a nice pace but seems to channel other War pictures rather
than building its own identity. Aside from the place and time of the depicted conflict and the faces of
the Russian combatants, there's little that distinguishes 9th Company from any number of
"good" but not "classic" War pictures. Still, it's hard to not admire what the film wants to be and the
way it goes about its business. Even if parts of it seem pulled straight out of better pictures, 9th
Company has its heart in the right place, which counts for quite a bit. The film is
well worth a watch despite some problems with characterization and structure; it's just not destined
to be remembered as the picture it wanted to be and should have been.
Anyone have a jelly doughnut in his footlocker? Oh, right. Apparently, we don't have footlockers!
9th Company fights its way onto Blu-ray and wins a steady, good-looking 1080p transfer. Although it can't escape something of a slight digital sheen while playing host to a few minor problems including light aliasing and a few jagged edges -- the transfer sometimes has a hard time rendering the blue and white striped Russian Army undershirts in particular -- 9th Company's Blu-ray release, in general, looks quite good. Detail is often very strong and the highlight of the transfer. Although a few distant shots of rocky terrain and Afghan hillsides are lacking in pristine definition, the transfer reveals plenty of crucial information on sweaty and dirty faces, tattered clothes, and worn weapons. Indeed, texturing is immaculate throughout most of the movie, and close-ups never come up short in pristine clarity and definition. Colors are vibrant and steady, though much of the film takes on an earthy appearance that highlights reds, browns, tans, greens, and blacks. Shadow detail is strong, and flesh tones only waver in the harshest of outdoor elements. Well Go USA's Blu-ray release of 9th Company looks very good, and this transfer is easily the highlight of the disc.
Though its picture quality is up to par, 9th Company's two soundtrack offerings fall well short. Well Go USA's Blu-ray offers two options: a Dolby Digital 2.0 presentation in the film's original Russian language and a fuller Dolby Digital 5.1 mix accompanying the English language dub. Unfortunately, neither option delivers a satisfying listen; the absence of a multi-channel mix for the Russian language option is sure to disappoint, and the lack of a lossless presentation for either mix seems like a missed opportunity. As it is, the English dub offers up a wider soundstage and more potent effects, and while the dubbing is tolerable, it's quite disconcerting to see the lip movements be so far off in the translation. Nevertheless, the 5.1 English mix offers a fair bit of surround information in the way of both discrete and ambient effects; whether helicopters zipping through the soundstage, tanks rumbling from front to back, or rain falling across the soundstage, the track is never wanting for more action across the surround speakers. Bass is present but not nearly as tight and precise as the low end found on superior War picture tracks. Gunfire crackles nicely and bullets zoom through the listening area; the final battle at film's end delivers a hearty, but not quite perfectly engulfing, experience. Music is generally smooth and satisfying, with a pop song heard over one scene in chapter nine delivering a full and invigorating room-filling listen. 9th Comapny's 5.1 mix is adequate; the Russian 2.0 mix isn't bad, either, and even if it lacks a more distinct and spacious sound field, it at least delivers the film's dialogue as it was meant to be heard. With either track, though, listeners will be longing for something better.
This two-disc collector's edition of 9th Company contains the identical Blu-ray disc that's packaged with the single-disc release; included is the film's theatrical promo (1080p, 3:18) and trailer (1080p, 1:45). Disc two is a separate DVD disc that houses the remaining additional content. Making the Movie (480p, 38:53) is a comprehensive Russian language (and English subtitled) extra that begins with a look back at the Soviet Union's extended military engagement in Afghanistan, with emphasis on the famed 9th Company, and continues to take an extended look at the making of 9th Company. Topics examined include the picture's authenticity, the work of first-time Director Fyodor Bondarchuk, the picture's budget and scope, the importance of shooting a picture like 9th Company in chronological order, the actors' physical and military training, filming the "Snow White" scenes, working with military equipment, creating the picture's soundtrack, shooting the extended final action sequence, and the camaraderie formed by the cast during filming. Next is 20 Years Later (480p, 29:54), a Russian language-English subtitled piece that offers an extended look back at the Soviet Union's goals in Afghanistan and the realities of life and battle on the ground, told from the perspective of those who were there. Finally, The Premiere (480p, 8:54) features several individuals sharing their thoughts on the finished product, what the film means to them, and its place in preserving Russian history.
9th Company desperately wants to be the next great War picture, and one can't help but admire its ambitions and efforts. Unfortunately, the picture neither achieves its lofty goals, but it doesn't sink to the depths of third-class pictures destined to be forgotten to the scrap heap of War movie history, either. Director Fyodor Bondarchuk shows promise, but his film simply cannot escape the tedium of trying to either duplicate or one-up the genre greats. Instead, the picture fumbles about with less-than-ideal character development and is therefore absent the emotional currents needed to excel beyond genre norms, and that's even considering the picture's entertaining but nevertheless generic action scenes. Well Go USA's Blu-ray "collector's edition" release of 9th Company sports a high quality 1080p transfer but is unfortunately lacking better audio options, particularly when it comes to its native language soundtrack. This edition contains several worthwhile bonus features not found on Well Go USA's other, standalone release of 9th Company, and for what amounts to only a slight increase in price, fans are encouraged to pick up this more comprehensive release over its practically bare-bones counterpart. The collector's edition of 9th Company comes recommended to War movie fans.
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