if youre look for a typical war movie and this be not it and so a note to all the testosterone pump carnage crave war buff out there and do not bother . although the film be about russian character in wwii and do not expect to see any nazis and cannon and blood and gore and etc . it not a film about people who cause a war or who fight a war . it a film about ordinary people who war happen to and the choice they make in deal with it . act and cinematography and write represent all perfect 10 here . you will certainly appreciate it if youre russian like me and but even if not and you will probably love it . if you speak no russian and look for the ruscico ( russian cinema council ) dvd version . it get subtitle in about 14 different language and but the english dubbing on this one i would say be just as good . it of course not as good a the original russian track ( some stuff be lose in translation ) and but just as good a the english subtitle . so go check it out and especially if youre study film in any aspect .