Film: 9th Company
Release date: 11th June 2007
Certificate: 15
Running time: 139 mins
Director: Fyodor Bondarchuk
Starring: Artur Smolyaninov, Aleksey Chadov, Konstantin Kryukov, Ivan Kokorin, Mikhail Evlanov
Genre: Action/Drama/History/War
Studio: Contender
Format: DVD
Country: Finland/Russia/Ukraine
Over the years, we've had countless war time epics, covering the many major battles in the timeline of human conflict. We've had Pearl Harbour, the storming of Normandy beach and the Vietnam War. Based on actual events, first time director Fyodor Bondarchuk brings us his award-winning interpretation of the lesser known struggle fought against the sun kissed sands of Afghanistan. Setting a forgotten squad of embittered Russian paratroopers against hundreds of Mujahedeen warriors, this film was hailed as Russia’s answer to Platoon and Full Metal Jacket - this is the 9th Company.
Set during the Soviet War in Afghanistan in 1987, the film begins with a solemn farewell in Siberia, where we are introduced to the main cast as they say goodbye to their family and friends.
A story told in two parts; the first half of the film covers the troop’s preliminary training as they bid farewell to their loved ones and commence boot camp in Uzbekistan.
After the initial hair shaving scene, and the preparatory transition of having your individuality ripped away to settle into the conformity of the armed forces, the focus shifts between each of the main cast members, as we begin to learn more about their own personalities and the inimitable differences between them.
As you would have it, every character starts off “green”, from the baby faced Vorobey (Aleksey Chadov) to the arduous Lyutyy (Artur Smolyaninov). We watch as they push forward through the requisite assault course and rifle training, under the brutal tutelage of Warrant Officer Dygalo (Mikhail Porechenkov) - a drill instructor edging toward insanity - only to emerge from the other end with AK-47 in one hand, hammer and sickle in the other, and the iron cross burnt chaotically into their hearts.
At the height of the camaraderie, a bond which spawns from the odd fist fight, phallic shaped explosives, and an almighty scene where they ultimately tune into each other’s workings, they finally realise it was teamwork that was missing all along. As well as amusing fiddling with the local slut, the film shifts up a gear as the company is shipped to the Khost province in Afghanistan under the command of Khokol (played by Fyodor Bondarchuk himself).
They are split up, with the crux of them ordered to defend/secure a supply route near the Pakistani border. Unbeknownst to them, the war in Afghanistan had ended during their mission, and they are left on Hill 3234 as the rest of the Russian forces begin to withdraw. With the security of their location compromised, the now forgotten company defend themselves against wave after wave of Mujahedeen, leading to a truly epic and bloody battle…
Fans of war epics should be citing many comparisons about now, especially to the tune of Full Metal Jacket. The beginning scenes mirror the genius drill instructions giving by R. Lee Ermey, however, the major difference being that inevitably Russians don’t mess about.
What Bondarchuk has chosen to focus on in his attempt at boot camp is the raw brutality of how they do it. Discipline is beaten into the juvenile squad in effect to diminish their arrogance, and in essence, what you end up watching in the first half of the film is a group of boys turn into men who kill. The director has decided to forgo the opportunity to make any sort of hardcore political statement in regard to ‘Russia’s Vietnam’, and instead he has woven together a tale of brotherhood and integrity that that shines against the vicious nature of conflict. And it doesn’t hurt that he’s thrown in some jaw-dropping action sequences for good measure.
Of course, this is a tried and tested concept - done over and over again in films such as Saving Private Ryan - but the issue is whether 9th Company stands out amongst the elite.
The film is wonderfully cast. The young actors are brilliant in their individual roles, and play up well to their intended clichés. You have the standard good, bad and ugly characters you would expect from a war film. Along with the previously mentioned, you also have the cool, Gioconda (Konstantin Kryukov); the bully, Chugun (Ivan Kokorin); and the knowledgeable, Ryaba (Mikhail Evlanov). What is quite peculiar but without doubt befitting of the film is that even though the characters are arguably stereotypes, most of them have interesting backgrounds, which makes it easier for the viewer to warm to them during the course of the film. For instance, Gioconda is presumably a middle class painter, while contrasting this, Lyutyy is homeless. As you would expect, the two butt heads. Chugun is an unloved bully, while the Drill Sergeant, Dygalo, who would have mutilated Gomer Pile, is also a troubled man dealing with post traumatic stress disorder. All this adds to the human focus of the film and keeps the characters fresh.
It is clear the actors have put a lot of effort into their performances. Motions are infused with a sort of Russian vigour and spirit, which clearly sets them apart from the armed forces we are used to seeing. There are times when the strain and blighting emotion is clearly visible on the actors’ faces. They bark their soviet principles with strength and passion, and it only makes one think that this is a far cry compared to the stoic nature of their American counterparts.
It feels as if Lyutyy is the central character, but what is difficult is that (especially toward the end) it is never quite clear who the main protagonist is. Audiences may find it difficult to warm to one particular character since they all have such redeeming qualities. This does makes sense if Bondarchuk wishes for us to see the group as one unit working together, but it does feel like a missed opportunity when he could have taken full advantage of characters such as Vorobey for extra emotional impact.
Compared to cinema today, the locations are a tad over familiar. The desert is another tried and tested concept that can be tiresome to watch, but colour is put to good use here. Arguably, there are only really two colours in this film: blue/grey combo for the first half of the film and a sharp orange for the second half. The obvious change in colour (which is hard to miss around the hour mark) signals a stark change in environment for the cast. It neatly adds to the atmosphere of suffocating heat and tension in Afghanistan, as well as providing action sequences more reason to kick up dust for increased chaos.
The action here is very Hollywood, which is by no means a horrible thing. It makes full use of the arduous terrain, with the big budget stretched to its limit to provide us with some truly blockbuster-esque set-pieces involving plenty of explosions, gunfights, bloodshed, and ample adrenaline pumped screaming.
The film is beautiful to watch throughout. Cinematography is top notch. There is plenty of slow-mo, extreme close ups and the old ‘camera on the rifle’ trick to keep the film visually stimulating and interesting. Music hits in all the right places, and is epic as you would expect. During the final battle, all of this coupled together will no doubt have you on the edge of your seat.
One of the major criticisms levelled at this film is that it’s not an accurate representation of actual events. This is a war flick that shows a brotherhood in peril rather for entertainment value rather than a historical drama. An impressive debut for first time director Fyodor Bondarchuk that is well worth watching, even if just for the explosive and action-packed conclusion. VLN
