Political rivals, divided by a bloody war, are forced to come to terms with one another in this drama, which was adapted from Leo Tolstoy's short story "Prisoner of the Caucasus." In Chechnya, two Russian soldiers, nervous rookie Vania (Sergei Bodrov, Jr.) and hardened veteran Sasha (Oleg Menshikov), are captured by Muslim forces. Abdul-Murat (Dzhemal Sikharulidze), the leader of the village where the soldiers are held, also has a son in the war, who is being held as a prisoner of war by the
Russians. Abdul-Murat demands the release of his son in exchange for sparing Vania and Sasha, and a level of understanding and respect begins to grow between the Russians and their captors. Kavkazsky Plennik, released in the U.S. as Prisoner of the Mountains, received both Oscar and Golden Globe nominations as Best Foreign Language Film of 1997. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
The performances that Bodrov drew from a mostly amateur cast of Muslim villagers -- most of whom have never seen running hot water, let alone a movie camera -- are alone worth the price of admission.
Bodrov has created a stirring drama that brings sharp human and physical dimensions to ethnic tensions that have long plagued Russia and its adjacent republics.
It takes a Russian touch to make a film about war that shows compassion, brutality, hope and hopelessness, and does so with only 3 minutes of battle scenes. This movie has a deliberate pace, which makes you appreciate the film while you are thinking about what is happening. The story line is solid, and never is it
unbelievable. The cinematography is beautiful. The acting well done. Nice movie.
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