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"PRISONER OF THE MOUNTAINS"
(1996) (Sergei Bodrov Jr., Oleg Menshikov) (R)

Alcohol/
Drugs
Blood/Gore Disrespectful/
Bad Attitude
Frightening/
Tense Scenes
Guns/
Weapons
Moderate Moderate Moderate Mild Heavy
Imitative
Behavior
Jump
Scenes
Music
(Scary/Tense)
Music
(Inappropriate)
Profanity
Mild None None None Heavy
Sex/
Nudity
Smoking Tense Family
Scenes
Topics To
Talk About
Violence
Moderate Moderate Mild Mild Extreme


QUICK TAKE:
Drama: Two Russian soldiers are taken as prisoners by a man who plans to exchange them for his captured son.
PLOT:
Gilin Vanya (SERGEI BODROV JR.) and Sacha (OLEG MENSHIKOV) are two Russian soldiers captured in an ambush. Taken to a mountain village, they find themselves as hostages of Abdul-Mourant (DJEMAL SIKHARULIDZE), an older man who plans to use the soldiers in a prisoner exchange for his own son who's held by the Russians. The two soldiers must then deal with their captivity and with Abdul's young daughter Dina (SUSANNA MEKHRALIEVA) and her uncle Hassan (ALEXANDER), both of whom care for the prisoners.
WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT?
It's doubtful. Subtitled Russian films usually aren't a big draw to most kids.
WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: R
For some violence and language.
CAST AS ROLE MODELS:
  • SERGEI BODROV JR. and OLEG MENSHIKOV plays soldiers who are taken as hostages. Their occasionally violent actions relate directly to their attempts at escape.
  • DJEMAL SIKHARULIDZE plays the father of a captured soldier who is desperate enough to use two enemy soldiers as pawns for a prisoner swap.
  • CAST, CREW, & TECHNICAL INFO

    HOW OTHERS RATED THIS MOVIE


    OUR TAKE: 7 out of 10
    Most everyone who doesn't fall into the "art house" crowd will probably pass over this subtitled Russian film, but that's a shame since this is a relatively interesting and intriguing piece of work. Though not fast paced, the film slowly grows on you and leaves a lasting impression long after the theater lights have come up. The performances are very good, especially Bodrov as the young and impressionable soldier/hostage. And the bleak mountain landscape and village are as much characters as are their human counterparts. While the plot isn’t overly original, the characters are fresh enough to make this a film worth seeing. We give it a 7 out of 10.
    OUR WORD TO PARENTS:
    Violence is the big issue here with several people being killed by gunfire, explosions and in one graphic scene by slitting a throat. Profanity is heavy with 8 "f" words, but they and others are all subtitled, and thus aren’t heard in English. There's one scene where we see many nude soldiers’ bare butts during a physical exam. There's also some drinking and smoking, but nothing too bad other than the two prisoners being somewhat drunk in one scene. Although it's highly unlikely that many people, let alone kids, will want to see this film, we suggest that you read the scene listings to determine if the movie is appropriate for you and your family.

    ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE
  • Two soldiers drink vodka.
  • Vanya and Sacha find liquor in a hidden room next to their cell and later are seen drinking it and appear somewhat drunk.
  • A soldier tells a woman that other soldiers trade grenades for hash.
  • A soldier pays for two bottles of vodka with his pistol.
  • Vanya and Sacha drink with other soldiers in their camp.
  • BLOOD/GORE
  • A few of the ambush victims are a bit bloody.
  • A kickboxing participant has a bloody nose after being hit there.
  • Hassan's head is bloody after Sacha hits him with a rock.
  • Soldiers slit a man’s throat (seen from behind), who then holds his throat in agony as the blood spills out.
  • A few prisoners are somewhat bloody after they've been shot during an escape attempt.
  • DISRESPECTFUL/BAD ATTITUDE
  • Obviously Abdul’s actions reek of both, but it is wartime and he’s desperate to free his son any way he can.
  • FRIGHTENING SCENES
  • Vanya and Sacha are forced to walk down a gravel road looking for land mines.
  • In one scene, one doesn't know whether Abdul is going to kill Vanya or not.
  • GUNS/WEAPONS
  • Machine guns/Handguns/Explosives: Used to injure or kill people. See "Violence" for details.
  • Knife: Used to slit a person's throat.
  • IMITATIVE BEHAVIOR
  • Phrases: "Shut up," "Bastard," "Balls" (testicles), and "Stupid" (all read in subtitles).
  • A boy throws a rock at Dina.
  • JUMP SCENES
  • None.
  • MUSIC (SCARY/TENSE)
  • None.
  • MUSIC (INAPPROPRIATE)
  • None.
  • PROFANITY
  • 8 "f" words (1 used sexually), 1 "s" word, 1 "ass" word, and 1 use of "God" as exclamations (but all are read in subtitles and not heard in English).
  • SEX/NUDITY
  • There is full rear male nudity seen as many soldiers have their medical physicals. Others are also seen covering their private parts with their hands.
  • Sacha tells Vanya that the guards might "cut your balls off" and then asks Vanya if he’s ever had sex ("f-ed someone"). Vanya says yes, and Sacha tells him that at least he got to do it once before they castrate him (which never happens).
  • Sacha briefly mentions having champagne with a woman and then later having a condom on, but then says that the woman fell asleep.
  • SMOKING
  • Sacha asks Hassan for a cigarette but his request is ignored. Later he's occasionally seen smoking, Vanya joins him once, and other soldiers are also seen smoking.
  • TENSE FAMILY SCENES
  • Vanya's mother must deal with the fact that her son is being held captive, as does Abdul.
  • TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT
  • War.
  • VIOLENCE
  • Russian soldiers are ambushed and several are killed or wounded by machine guns and explosions. A few of the victims are a little bloody.
  • Vanya tries to hit Hassan as he enters their cell, but misses.
  • Sacha tells Vanya that the guards will "cut your balls off."
  • Abdul tells Sacha to write to his mother about the prisoner exchange or he’ll cut his throat.
  • Hassan nods 'yes' that his tongue was cut out while in prison (for having killed his wife for leaving him for another man).
  • Abdul shoots at the prisoners as a warning as they stand by a stream.
  • A boy throws a rock at Dina.
  • Vanya and Sacha hit each other repeatedly in one scene while shackled together.
  • Machine guns are fired at the prisoners' feet.
  • Several soldiers compete in kickboxing and several blows are delivered to faces and bodies.
  • Sacha hits Hassan on the head with a rock causing him to fall from a cliff to his death during an escape attempt.
  • Sacha stabs and kills a shepherd with a long key to steal his rifle.
  • Soldiers slit a man’s throat (seen from behind), who then holds his throat in agony as the blood spills out.
  • A man shoots his son dead at a prison house. The other prisoners try to escape, but guards shoot them dead with machine guns.



  • Reviewed February 5, 1997

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