Bitva za Sevastopol (2015) Reviews

• Keep the original title of "Indestructible" and don't ruin it by dubbing

  truey-184092015-10-22

  I was riveted by this movie and I don't understand any Russian! This movie is absolutely about Lyudmila Pavlichenko and her recollections than it is about the "Battle of Sevastopol" any more than the movie "Enemy at the Gates" being a portrayal of the scope of the Battle of Stalingrad versus the adventures of Vasili Zaitzev. I would love to see this with English subtitles but would rather leave it 100% as with the actors speaking their parts in their native voices rather than have it butchered by dubbing. While there is a little stereotyping of communist leaders and their acts and gestures, the movie puts a human and personal touch on the real fighters of the Soviet Union in WW2, the young people who have to do the real fighting and would rather just live their lives in peace. Most "heroes" never wanted the spotlight and didn't do what they did for glory or fame. A moving and powerful movie.

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• Admirable effort

  slikts2015-05-03

  It's a weird time to see a joint Ukrainian and Russian film project to come out, considering the breakdown in relations between the two countries. The production apparently begun before the conflict, and it's an achievement in itself that it's been seen through, since a project like this probably wouldn't be possible today. Coming in the wake of Russian WWII-themed schlock like Stalingrad (2013), I didn't expect too much, and there was a somewhat similar, almost gaudy quality present, but overall the movie was much more decent, particularly considering that its budget was about 5 times smaller than Stalingrad's. The actors were well cast, with Yuliya Peresild's performance creating a main character that can grow on you, and some interesting supporting characters. This brings me to the point that, despite the title, the movie's focus isn't as much on the port city of Sevastopol as it's on the Soviet sniper Lyudmila Pavlichenko, and the movie being called "Battle for Sevastopol" betrays an apparent lack of confidence in selling a biopic of a female sniper. There's a fair amount of action in the movie, however, so I don't think that the kind of people who wouldn't go for a biopic would come away disappointed or feeling mislead.

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• Impressive film with a wrong title

  sergetankian2015-04-29

  The producer was able to pull the Russia-Ukraine title all in one piece despite the events of 2014 in Kiev. Probably the bulk of the scenes was shot in 2013. The storyline goes on about a true WW2 Red Army female sniper with the highest confirmed hit list ever. Check out the Wikipedia. A sad personal drama wound into the 1941 context when Wehrmacht was advancing in Southern Ukraine, USSR. With a moderate budget, as it appears to me, the makers were restricted to a moderate combined arms warfare footage, but of a very decent quality. Most moving is the tragedy of the main character who lives through the first two years of war and a personal tragedy. It is not a blockbuster action-filled war theme that must be a dangling carrot for a moviegoer but rather a biographical sniper daily routine and mentality. On seeing the movie I was a bit puzzled why its name bears "Battle for Sevastopol" as it is only touched upon. A mind-blowing alternative to the American Sniper. You decide on your own.

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• Quite a decent war movie

  zavadsky2015-05-12

  I think that it is quite a decent war movie, at par or better than "Enemy at the gates". There is very good performance for the main character. Cliché of Soviet communist organizer in US; but movie shall have a non good communist character, as real life had at the time. Very chilling and excellent scene of 10 year old girl reciting "Kill German" poem, and in all likelihood the girl was killed herself few months down the road. I waiting for English version to show to my friends, but translation going to be very difficult and will result in lower quality - a lot of important subtle messages in the movie is use of Russian, Ukranian dialect of Russian, and Ukranian languages, as well as some subtle elements to Russian-Jewish culture.

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• Rollicking World War II Russian story.

  t-dooley-69-3869162016-06-07

  Lyudmila Pavlichenko is a good student who can never match the ideals of her austere NKVD, Officer father. Then war breaks out and it is discovered that she is a crack shot. So she is made to join the snipers after the Germans invade in 1941 through Operation Barbarossa. She is also a woman with the needs of such and has already attracted a few suitors, one is aspiring doctor – however, she is more enamoured with her commanding officer. The fates of war mean that you must seize today what may be gone tomorrow and that is a theme that is more or less a constant throughout this. It follows the plight of the Russians as they retreat across their vast country until they are able to build up their forces to give the invading Nazi's the righteous kicking they so keenly deserve. This though ends with the stand at Sevastopol and Lyudmila's personal and actual battles on and off the field of battle. Now the action scenes are all very good, the character development is fine too. The acting is all above average and the CGI is good in most parts. Some of the Americans are dubbed though which I always find annoying but that is a small gripe for what is in the main part a really good war film with full on emotions thrown in for added pathos and drama; this is not up to the calibre of say 'The Admiral' but is still deserving of a watch – recommended.

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