Featured Audience Ratings

• Randy T

  
  The leave of a young Russian soldier is sidetracked by his own kindness and humanity. A story of human decency set against a backdrop of destruction and devastation. Poignant and sad but still inspirational.

• Cindy I

  
  A beautifully-made film from Russia. As a reward for a heroic deed in battle, a young soldier receives six days leave to go home to see his mother. The rest of the film follows him as he tries to make it home and back in the allotted time. For part of his journey, he sneaks aboard a… More
  A beautifully-made film from Russia. As a reward for a heroic deed in battle, a young soldier receives six days leave to go home to see his mother. The rest of the film follows him as he tries to make it home and back in the allotted time. For part of his journey, he sneaks aboard a boxcar, and then later a pretty young girl does the same. You can take it from there...up to a point. Like many Russian films, the faces are the main focus. The lighting of this film was particularly impressive, and every face seems to glow from within. There are some very interesting camera angles, especially in the early battle scenes, but also the shots of and from the train. Even the musical score was beautful and dreamy. The only flaw I found in the film was the heavy-handed sentimentality. You can show depth of feeling without being melodramatic about it. Otherwise, this is a touching and beautiful film.

• Tim S

  
  A little hokey, but really well made.

• Eric B

  
  A lovely, heartbreaking, somewhat episodic film about the travels of a young Russian soldier who's given a short leave to go home and see his mother. During the erratic journey back to his village, he meets an innocent farm girl and awkwardly falls in love. Beautiful… More
  A lovely, heartbreaking, somewhat episodic film about the travels of a young Russian soldier who's given a short leave to go home and see his mother. During the erratic journey back to his village, he meets an innocent farm girl and awkwardly falls in love. Beautiful cinematography, affecting leads.

• Walter M

  
  [font=Century Gothic]"Ballad of a Soldier" takes place in the Soviet Union during World War II. A 19-year old soldier, Alexei, cut off from his unit and on the run luckily manages to not only survive but also takes out two enemy tanks. His general wants to decorate him but… More
  [font=Century Gothic]"Ballad of a Soldier" takes place in the Soviet Union during World War II. A 19-year old soldier, Alexei, cut off from his unit and on the run luckily manages to not only survive but also takes out two enemy tanks. His general wants to decorate him but Alexei wants to return home for a day to do two things he left undone when left for the war - to properly say goodbye to his mother and to repair the roof. At first, the general does not grant the request but then he acquiesces. Alexei has two days to get there, two days at home and two days to return.[/font] [font=Century Gothic]"Ballad of a Soldier"'s main theme concerns itself with still being a good human being even under the worst circumstances. Alexei is not a coward by temporarily leaving the front; he is simply seeking to complete what he left unfinished. He always seems to be thinking more of other people than himself. The movie is exciting and suspenseful but never without emotion. In fact, it does not fall into traps that other movies namely "Central Station" stumble through. The sentiment never overwhelms the rest of the action.[/font]