9 рота

Just finished watching the war movie 9 рота (9th Company in Russian), about a band of Russian soldiers serving in the Soviet military operation in Afghanistan in the 1980s. It is a very sad story cos the guys were holding a position on a mountain top, then they were swarmed by millions of mujahideen guerrillas, and their own reinforcement came just too late. Only one guy from the Company survived the onslaught.

There are a few emotional moments. When the guys were at basic training, their instructor drilled them like madness. But when it was time for them to go to the frontline and their instructor couldn't go with his men, sorrow was written all over his face when he gave them his last salute cos he was so eager to fight with them. In another scene one guy got shot in the legs and chest, then he pulled the ring of his grenade and died with dozens of enemy swarming him. At the last moment, the last man standing reported to the reinforcement commander that his Company accomplished its mission of fending off the enemies. Sigh...

Russian movie is rare enough, and it has broken the taboo of the Afghan war. Although it is said that the movie is inaccurate in narating the incident, but still it's good. Box office record ok!