IGX

One of the ironies of my life is I hate communists and national socialists, but absolutely love the cultural relics of these two failed systems. So when I when I saw this movie listed on Netflix on demand I had to watch it. The uniforms, the art, the weapons, the everyday items are nothing but eye candy for me.

The 9th company is a movie about a group of Soviet airborne volunteers that follows them through induction, airborne training, and combat in 1980s Afganistan. At first I was surprised that the current Russian government cultural and film ministries was involved in the film. Particularly since the Soviet system and soldiers are not always shown in a positive light. It exposes the corruption of the system at the expense of the common fighting man in particular. However, the film has to viewed through a Russian lens. Russians almost always assume the stack is decked against them, whether it was the czars, the commissars, or the current regime.

The brutality of the training is not foreign to me. I was retinely beaten, hazed, and generally run into the ground at Ranger Indoctrination training and arrival at the Second Ranger BN. What surprising, was this type of military right of passage violence being shown by a movie maker. Western audiences and civilians in general would be shocked if this was presented as the type of abuse was used in the US military. However IMO the Russians have not become so effete, and this type of "hardening" is much more understood and even expected by Russian audiences.

However, back to the reason the current Russian regime helped make this movie. It number one shows the warriors, the men fighting on the ground, in a positive light; imperfect examples of comradery and the warrior ethos. It secondly implies these men where betrayed by the politicians and the Russian people; both who quickly forgot about these men's sacrifices and trials.

The battle scenes are pretty good for a movie depiction of combat. The airborne soldiers are shown as humans in all their glory and all their failing. A lot of the little things the movie got right. Particularly the average Soviet soldiers love for sneakers and sunglasses. I've watched plenty of video of modern day Russian Soldiers operating in the causcases and they still operate in the same manner. Maybe it's just the Russian maxim of hard on the parade field, easy on battle field.

I wouldn't expect everyone to like this movie, but for me it was a interesting look at a particular time in history and the average Soviet combat soldiers experiences.

. Western audiences and civilians in general would be shocked if this was presented as the type of abuse was used in the US military. However IMO the Russians have not become so effete, and this type of "hardening" is much more understood and even expected by Russian audiences.

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There was a video released showing marines get their blood wings many years ago. It caused a lot of meetings and "educational lectures" all because someone got pins stuck in their chest. Even a congressional inquiry IIRC.

I got bored watching this movie and turned it off. It's no Red Dawn.

The guy who played the sarge was really good.

Have you seen The Beast?

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0094716/

Saw this a couple of years and then found it on DVD.

Great flick. Afghans and Russians were portrayed well. The training sequence was great and blended in well with the rest of the movie. Battle scenes were well done and just messy enough to show the confusion. A lot lighter on the melodrama than I expected, which was nice. The little touches between the action scenes were great.

But the blond chick was UGLY!

Had 666 views so had to do something!

Good review