Nothing in this film seems even remotely genuine. It's a fairy tale, like all the recent Russian films about the war. It is very reminiscent of the T-34 film, about the building of the iconic Russian tank. WWII has remained the foundational myth of the Russian nation, and this mythology is being enriched with new fantastic entries every year. The message is all that matters: Russia is indestructible, Russian designs are best, Russian soldiers are best. Now throw in a love story and some exaggerated anecdotes, and you have your average Russian film about WWII. It is interesting that contemporary Russian films about WWII and other wars are a lot less realistic and a lot more ideological than films made in the USSR. What contemporary Russian audiences are being served is pure kitsch and nonsense that insults intelligence. I hope this industry of nonsense comes to an end, as much as I hope Russians finally stop worshiping communism under the guise of worshiping their great nation. Russia did not begin or end with WWII, and that era brought about complete annihilation of Russian spirit and Orthodox Christianity. It is time to return to Russian roots and ditch this abomination of WWII pseudo-religious cult about Russian greatness.
Review of Kalashnikov
