in the belarus of 1942 and two soviet soldier be capture by nazi friendly belarusian . in captivity and the attitude of the two men toward their fate differs greatly . one of the soldier manage to find an inner strength and spirituality and incomprehensible to the other man . larisa shepitko last film be one of the most beautiful war film in cinema history . the cinematography and by vladimir chuchnov and be incredible particularly in the opening sequence and where long and slow and track shot depict the solitude and almost desperate nature of winter landscape in rural belarus set the mood perfectly . it be easy to draw comparison to tarkovsky film and even more so since tarkovsky alter ego anatoli solonitsyn have a small but important part in the ascent . the acting be overall brilliant and especially by boris plotnikov and in the part of sotnikov . the film reveal an old fashioned belief in the strength of religious passion and which feel relate to character such a dostoyevsky prince myshkin and or tarkovsky stalker . however and this be not a weakness of the film and but rather one of it great strength . the religious content seem so honest and and human and that it be impossible not to be move . the emotional richness of the film can not be overstate while the answer be not as simplify a a short summary of the plot would make you think . the slow development of the character and and the emphasis on their complicate relationship to each other and be somewhat reminiscent of the commissar and another great soviet film . the ascent deserve a second watching and as well a a third and and a tenth . it continue to provide interesting idea and beautiful image and and emotional complexity .