Aleksey Balabanov is considered to be one of the best Russian directors of all time. Any Balabanov's film is complex and reveals important and relevant topics. Today I would like to tell about the movie "War" («Voyna»). Some say that it's the best movie that Balabanov had ever made.
At the first glance, the movie doesn't try to indulge the viewer with an entertaining plot. The story focuses on two English actors (John and Margaret), who are brought to the captivity by Chechen rebels with several Russian prisoners of war, including Ivan - protagonist (played by Aleksey Chadov) and captain Medvedev (played by Sergey Bodrov Jr.). The Chechens used Ivan as the slave, but after a while they let him go because the Russian government won't pay a ransom for just an army private at all costs. Also, they let John to Great Britain where he has to raise the ransom money for him and for Margaret. Faced with difficulties of raising money in Britain, John comes to Russia, finds Ivan and asks him for help. The role of Ivan was first in career and appears to be one of the best for young Russian actor Aleksey Chadov. But it would be unfair not to mention the great acting work of Ian Kelly, Sergey Bodrov-Jr., Euclid Kurdzidis.
Although the movie seems to be too uncomplicated, ordinary and to have the sheer sense of indulging to xenophobia (if we talk about the attitude of Russians to Chechen people), it's not worthy to take it unequivocally. Every important character for the plot is thoroughly worked out and is not caricatured by filmmakers. Balabanov didn't want to say "That person is a bloody evil, and that person is modest goodness itself", he tried to keep neutrality in that aspect. And, how I think, he achieved the target. As for me, that film raises the problem of war nature, relationship between nations, national identity. Admittedly, Balabanov showed the problems of our country and the whole society through the prism of II Chechen's war.
Everybody could find meaning, ideas, and views in the "War". Someone will like this film, someone will perceive it in hostility. All in all, one thing cannot be denied - Aleksey Balabanov has managed to create one of the best, authentic and deeply developed movies about the war and about II Chechen war in particular. If you like Balabanov's films, you have to watch this one. Also, I can recommend it for people who are interested not just in Russian directors, but generally in films about war which has something more than mindless patriotism, loud shots, and explosions.