This is one of the best war movies I have ever seen. I won't laugh at ridiculously "low" grade it has got, because there are more important things to be said or underlined. First of all, it is stupid to compare such film with "Platoon" which is a common pattern of the comments on this site. Even though Platoon is a good war movie, it is still an obvious Hollywood product which is not the case with 9th Company. Platoon brought some important issues for the time it was made except very good filming, but it still serves American perception of the world - divided to good and bad guys: one group of the soldiers are following bad lieutenant (played by Tom Beringer), the others are followers of deceased model of "human" killer (played by William Dafoe). There are no such illusions in this film. Like no other Hollywood film, this one shows that good in the war is something we who live in piece can't comprehend. 9ya Rota shows that every person has good and bad in themselves (which is much closer to true) but the form of good in the war is not what we would expect. What is so well done are thorough and catchy analysis of social and psychological features of the soldiers from the time they entered the barracks as civilians to the time of their final battles as soldiers. We can easily follow their transformation through these times and the way they change. That is done childishly simply and beautifully as in no film before that. 9ya Rota keeps you nailed to the screen for whole 139 minutes. And it stays for good. Brilliant acting of fantastic crew and no amateurs even among the minor roles brings you very close to the drama. And drama is stunning and emotional. And whatta directing!!!? Regarding the site criteria, this film deserves at least 10 out of 10, if you ask me.
Review of 9th Company
