It’s not every day that we recommend you go out and discover what Russian cinema has to offer, but when the first big-budget Russian movie produced with 3D technologies and released in IMAX format becomes the highest-grossing Russian movie of all time, maybe it’s time to take note. Stalingrad, from director Fedor Bondarchuk, is gearing up for its exclusive engagement in IMAX 3D theaters nationwide when it opens February 28th, and we’ve got our first look at the World War II action thanks to an action-packed trailer.
Here’s a quick synopsis about the battle-heavy war drama:
Stalingrad is an epic look at the battle that turned the tide of World War II. A band of determined Russian soldiers fight to hold a strategic building in their devastated city against a ruthless German army, and in the process become deeply connected a Russian woman who has been living there. Presented in IMAX® 3D, the scale of the battle contrasts dramatically with the human drama of the Russian soldiers, the few remaining civilians and their invaders into Stalingrad.
I personally love the fact that so many typically unheard of nations are getting their cinematic gems released in theaters overseas (Juan Of The Dead from Cuba, Big Bad Wolves from Israel), and now we have a Russian entry that looks to be a bit of epic filmmaking in the vein of summer blockbusters like, dare I say, Saving Private Ryan? Don’t misinterpret my comparison, I haven’t seen the film yet, but based on setting and tone alone, Stalingrad looks to be a grand recreation of that ruthless Russian battle.
Starring the internationally renown Thomas Kretschmann, along with a slew of Russian stars most of us won’t be familiar with, we’ll find out if Stalingrad can live up to the hype once it’s released February 28th. Be sure to check back for our official review, which I’ll be posting as close to the release date as possible, and don’t forget to watch the trailer below!
What do you think, do we have another grandiose portrayal of war on our hands, ripe with emotion and valiance?
