Red Army Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		3.0
Audio		3.5
Extras		3.5
Overall		3.5

Red Army Blu-ray Movie Review

Color commentary.

Reviewed by Martin Liebman June 2, 2015

People may not like to admit it, but it's money that makes the world go 'round, not intangible things like love or pride, be that love for one another or pride in one's country. Maybe it shouldn't work that way, but that's the way it is, and there may not be a better example than the rise and fall of Russian national hockey throughout the Cold War era, a time in which the Communist nation dominated the ice but ultimately succumb to bankruptcy and, for its hockey players, the draw of lucrative contracts in the West. Director Gabe Polsky's riveting Red Army succinctly, candidly, and alluringly tells the story of the nation's incredible rise to power in the sport that saw it dominate both international competition (one miracle notwithstanding) and various skirmishes against professional clubs but ultimately fall with the wall and become less a national powerhouse and more an auction house for top-line talent. The film, through interviews and archival footage -- the usual documentary stuff -- builds an incredibly engaging story as told by the people who lived it and still, one way or another, acknowledge its power as a lasting legacy of a bygone era.

Unstoppable.

Red Army examines a number of relevant issues in some detail as they pertain to the dominance of the Soviet hockey team and the migration of its players to the NHL around the time the Berlin Wall fell and the Soviet Union collapsed. The film interweaves on-ice competition with historical events of the era, including the invasion of Afghanistan, the introduction of Perestroika and Glasnost, and the unrelenting ways in which the team was coached under Viktor Tikhonov. It follows the Soviet Union's domination in international competition, the "Russian Five," the loss at Lake Placid against a team comprised largely of American college students, and the slow migration of talent to the NHL, including stars Slava Fetisov, Alexander Mogilny, and Igor Larionov.

The film's main focus, and its most alluring bit, comes by way of its natural ability to mesh politics and sport, the story of how the Soviet hockey team was essentially a microcosm of the Communist way of life with the team dominating the international scene on the ice as the nation hoped to dominate in the geopolitical arena of ideas and, at times, the battlefield. The film does an amazing job of blending the players' shining skill level with the darker underbelly of life and the politics behind the iron curtain and how the reflections of Soviet governance and society remained constant, from the absolute devastation the team brought to the ice (in one shot leaving hockey legend Wayne Gretzky lamenting even his inability to compete with the Soviet team) and the national team's break-up as players trickled into the West's paid professional league as the writing on the wall became ever more clear and the Communist nations' demise ever closer to reality. The film oozes modern history and the prism of sport makes it immensely more accessible than dry lectures or to-the-point text. The parallels are uncanny and the film makes sure to reinforce its unique perspective through a number of interviews that range from humorous to chilling, from casual to intimate, all collected and placed together with ease and a deep understudying of the Documentary craft.

The film centers around Viacheslav "Slava" Fetisov, defenseman extraordinaire, a key player in Russian national hockey (one of the famed "Russian Five"), and one of the early pioneers into the NHL who opened the Russian pipeline into the West. Fetisov makes for one of the most uniquely interesting interviewees ever to grace a documentary. His aloofness threatens to throw the film into chaos at several junctures, leaving the filmmakers seemingly grasping at straws to save not only the interview but also the movie, but to their credit they take the interview in stride and shape it into a hybrid of informative details and light comic relief that helps offset the otherwise serious tone the movie takes. Other interviewees are a little more balanced, if not a bit nonchalant themselves, but the movie makes the most of what it has to offer by translating it all into a compelling narrative of national pride, geopolitics, sporting excellence, and dueling cultures all in one fascinating film.

Red Army Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Red Army skates onto Blu-ray with a proficient but at the same time visually underwhelming 1080p transfer. At its best, the image's HD interview segments offer satisfactory clothing and skin definition within a fairly crisp, clear frame. Details rarely rise further than that. It's a somewhat flat, unassuming picture, really, one that's more often soft and drab than it is sharp and complexly textured. Colors aren't much better, lacking flavor and distinction but not necessarily flawed. Minor aliasing and blocking artifacts are evident in some places. There's a fair bit of vintage material scattered throughout, most of it presented in rough 4x3 framing that's consistent with its era in terms of general quality, meaning it lacks in almost every way. The HD footage is certainly a huge step up, but in the greater Blu-ray landscape this transfer's best never extends beyond "mediocre."

Red Army Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Red Army's DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack satisfies requirements but does little to excite the senses. The track plays music with commendable robustness and fair attention to detail, yielding quality front end spacing, helpful but not intrusive surround support, and a decent low end weight. Various brief and specific effects prove suitably impressive, including a deep rumble in a scene introducing the Soviet Union's acquisition of "the bomb," good reverberations as a player shoots pucks into the net in an empty arena, and various crashes into the boards that have been clearly amplified but still prove sonically entertaining. Dialogue is the main driving factor, however, and there's no faulting the track with its simple front-center delivery thereof.

Red Army Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Red Army contains a commentary, interviews, Q&As, and deleted scenes.

• Audio Commentary: Writer/Director Gabe Polsky and Producer Werner Herzog offer a compelling commentary that covers, in sometimes almost magical detail, the research process, the people and places and politics depicted in the film and the histories surrounding them, Polsky's own interest in hockey, the documentary film style and what this film does right, the filmmaking crew, player skill, and much more. Audiences will want to give this track their full attention.
• Interview with Hockey Legend Scotty Bowman (1080p, 16:16): The former coach recalls his memories of the old Soviet team and coaching Russian players in Detroit.
• Q&A with Director Gabe Polsky and Former US Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul (1080p, 52:06): A lengthy sit-down in which the participants answer questions concerning the geopolitics of Cold War era hockey, film construction, and more. Audio only. A still photograph remains the only image for the duration.
• Toronto International Film Festival Q&A with Director Gabe Polsky (1080i, 14:23): The director discusses his upbringing, working with Slava Fetisov, working in Russia, chatting with interviewees, assembling archival footage, his thoughts on Russian hockey today, and more. Thom Powers moderates.
• Deleted Scenes (1080p): Russian Kings of Hockey (3:21), Slava on His Successes (2:07), Tarasov with Kids and Bolshoi (0:59), 24 Year Old Slava (0:34), Focus on the Game (0:51), Hockey Bootcamp (1:16), Tikhonov the Dictator (1:32), and Young Slava and Tarasov (1:24).
• Theatrical Trailer (1080p, 2:05).
• Previews (1080p): Additional Sony titles.

Red Army Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Red Army's story isn't wholly unique. For the past couple of decades -- in the shadow of the former Soviet Union, really -- there's been an interesting parallel with Cuba and baseball. The Communist island nation has long been a power in international competition, making waves in the World Baseball Classic, racking up three gold medals and two silvers in the Olympics since 1992, and competing in a pair of controversial home-and-home exhibition games with the Baltimore Orioles in 1999. And there's been a steady, and growing, stream of defectors coming to the Major Leagues and making immediate, and oftentimes large, impacts for their clubs. Names like Orlando Hernandez, Livan Hernandez, Aroldis Chapman, Yoenis Cespedes, Jose Abreau, and Yasiel Puig (this year's cover athlete for PlayStation's MLB 15 video game) have all left an indelible mark on the sport's modern landscape. History will judge how the parallels continue or break from the Soviet example with the United States' recent reestablishment of official relations with Cuba, but it's an interesting comparison for the post-Soviet era. As for this film, Red Army is outstanding. It's captivating, timely, and relevant, a work of art that brings the world of sports and politics together quite unlike anything else before it. Hockey fans and historians alike should find the movie uniquely entertaining and informative, and it's accessible enough for casual audiences with less familiarity of its basics. Sony's Blu-ray release of Red Army features adequate video and audio. Supplements are plentiful and of a high quality. Recommended.