72 metra (2004)

User Rating:

6.3/10   

Director:

Vladimir Khotinenko

Writers:

Aleksandr Pokrovsky (novels)
Valeri Zalotukha (writer)

Genre:

Drama | Action | Thriller

Plot:

Every second is precious for a Russian submarine crew, as they are stranded 72 meters below the ocean's surface.

Plot Keywords:

Based On Novel | Number In Title

Cast

Sergei Makovetsky	...	Chernenko
Marat Basharov	...	Captain-Leutenant Pyotr Orlov
Andrei Krasko	...	1st Class Captain Yanychar
Dmitri Ulyanov	...	Captain-Leutenant Ivan Murav'yov
Chulpan Khamatova	...	Nelly
Stanislav Nikolski	...	Seaman Molodoy
Sergey Garmash	...	Senior Warrant Officer Nikolai Krauz
Vladislav Galkin	...	Senior Warrant Officer Mikhajlov
Igor Livanov	...	3rd Class Captain Konovalenko
Artyom Mikhalkov	...	Warrant Officer Nechayev
Sergei Yarmolyuk	...	Senior Warrant Officer Legkostupov
Aleksandr Pashkov	...	Petty Officer Turayev
Aleksei Zelensky	...	Petty Officer, Sonar Operator
Amadu Mamadakov	...	Sailor Mukambetov
Nikita Yemshanov	...	Sailor Deryugin

Also Known As:

72 Метра (Russia)
72 Meters (International: English title)

Runtime:

115 min | 100 min

Country:

Russia

Language:

Russian | Ukrainian

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Filming Locations:

Gadzhiev, Russia

Company:

Channel One Russia

Movie Connections:

References K-19: The Widowmaker (2002)

Soundtrack:

Chyornoye more moyo

What could have been real drama fell flat, really flat

This movie seems to be alright. And it desperately tries to feel alright. And for a large part of the population it might be alright, but it isn't.

This movie may have become the greatest drama of recent Russian movie history. However, it's attempt to describe too much at once greatly undermines its quality.

One one hand we have a typical disaster movie - an explosion on a submarine, with all necessary genre "features" - survivors, random acts of heroism etc.

On the other hand we have a standoff between main characters, which could have (only could have) been very intense. Unfotunately, Russia seems to have lost all of its acting talents. These actors simply cannot deliver.

On the third hand (oh, yeah, there's more) we have personal drama of one of the main characters, delivered through a series of flashbacks. Again, it doesn't touch on any emotional level.

On the fourth hand we have a feeble attempt to describe the dire state of Russia'a fleet after the collapse of the Soviet Union. These attempts are not only feeble, but overly nationalistic as well (things like "Hey, Slavs, anybody here" followed by "You are not Ukrainian, are you").

Et cetera, et cetera.

This movie could have been great. It isn't. It may have been Ernst, who didn't let the movie blossom, but you can't blame Ernst for everything, can you? 5/10, not more