The story, direction, characters, and writing/dialogue is akin to taking a tranquilizer shot to the neck, but everything else was so well done.

An old-fashioned movie made with new-fashioned finesse.

Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable

It's simply great fun, a winsome film and an occasionally over-the-top luxury fantasy that never flags.

History is my hobby, and I collect movies and books, that cover unknown battles unknown in the west. If I can not get a movie with English, German, french or Spanish subtitles, I watch them without subtitles. This movie is not hard to follow, if you are interested in WW2 and have the basic knowledge. Action packed in the second half of the movie,after the Russian Guards Tank-Army has crossed the Gobi Desert, they hit a Japanese defense line (Like the french Maginot line) in the Mountains. A fearce battle ensue's when the Russian soldiers, after taking heavy casualties, break into the intricate, concrete defense system. For the 80'3 standards, the action and special effect scenes are well made. As far as i can tell, the weaponry, both sides use is authentic.The acting as good as in western movies. There is no exaggerated drama.