4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Arctic Warfare, June 18, 2006
This review is from: Torpedo Bombers (DVD)
Imagine to fly over one of the planets most hostile and desolate
arctic enviroments, where navigation is hazardous even for peacetimes, where war is not your only enemy. The personal ordeal of fear and shattered nerves opposed by a deep feeling of duty, is portrayed exceptionally well.
Anyway, I strongly recomand the viewer to watch the well documented extra's first, if your knowledge about this theater of war is limited. Unlike in the west, this conflict was fought with no quarters given, none offered. Be aware, that nazi propaganda not only considered slavic culture inferior and is inhabitants less human, they wanted to enslave russia for a greater german reich. Young impressionable german soldiers believed in this propaganda scheme, and executed its policies with an to date unseen ruthlessness. On the other side You had the russian soldiers fighting for their dear existance, fueled
by memories of rage. At this point of the conflict, you could hardly find a soldier who was not affected by personal loss.
This movie is not to be meant to compeate with special effects,
but with carrying a well crafted human interest story.
So there are plenty of action scenes. Most impressive was the fotography of the northern ocean, with it's inhospitable islands.
I remember a scene, where the crew of a russian reconnaissance seaplane finds a lightly crashlanded german fighterplane, with a dead german pilot sitting in the cockpit, the coffee in his thermos-can still warm. Well researched detail, not only of the weaponry, but also the daily trappings. If you are an airplane model fan, You will see plenty of russian and german airplane types. I should also mention, that the movie carries a lot of northern ambiance and russian culture, songs of the time, cantine
life and a litle romance. Heroism, tragic, some marine humor,
this movie has it all.
A movie well worth watching twice, because it carries many details that a viewer might not all digest at the first run.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
surprisingly good, December 12, 2007
This review is from: Torpedo Bombers (DVD)
I did not expect much from this movie and I always was surprised by its wide popularity in the world. Finally, I made an effort and it was rewarded. The movie proved to be a surprisingly good one: several low key personal stories unfolding in parallel during the war.
It has its problems but overall impression was not spoiled. The biggest problem in my view is that all principal male actors are 15-20 years older than their parts, but the makeup is OK and it is well compensated by superb performances.
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1 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
Just Awful - Even by My Standards, February 21, 2006
This review is from: Torpedo Bombers (DVD)
If you are looking for an accurate depiction of Soviet Naval Aviation in 1944, its a good movie - until somebody starts an engine. At that point you are magically transformed back to the 30's cinema with cheap airplane models dangling from obvious strings doused with lighter fluid and cheap ship models in the bathtub. Strong evidence that Ed Wood had a Russian twin brother. I half expected Gamara to swoop down and attack the Germans also. Unbelievable for a 1983 movie. Add random stock footage from a B&W newsreel and the effect is complete. When at on the ground and at the base the acting and sets are great, but the plot is incomprehensible. There must be 10 subplots going on involving the characters and their girlfriends, and their moms and kids, etc. I'm sure that some of this is a cultural thing, but honestly folks I did not know what to make of this movie!
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