I must preface this review by explaining that I am not really a history person, I do not take that much interest in politics, I certainly do not claim to know very much about Russia, and I know even less about Stalin as a man. I do, however, have an affinity to heartfelt emotional scenes and character centered stories.
That being said, "Burnt by the Sun" was a rather slow, but not entirely unlikeable film. Until the last approximately thirty minutes, where I felt it really shined. Pun intended.
Nikita Mikhalkov was not only the director of this film, but also the writer and lead actor. He played Colonel Kostov, a lovable man from start to finish. Kostov's daughter is named Nadia, played by none other than the aforementioned director's real life daughter Nadia. This, of course, explains the phenomenal chemistry between on screen father and daughter. Upon learning this, rather than being disappointed that the performances were not so based solely on their own merit, I felt even more appreciation for the film. Somehow, the fact that they were really father and daughter; that Mikhalov says that he "decided to play this role for the unique reason of helping the performance of my daughter... Nadia revealed herself to be an amazing acting partner"
(http://www.sonyclassics.com/burntbysun/misc/interview.html); that he held her on his shoulders as he accepted his Academy Award, had me wishing I could grade this film based solely on the relationship between father and daughter, both on and off screen, especially as shown in choice scenes.
One memorable scene is father talking innocently about what he wants for his daughter on a seemingly ordinary boat ride. Another shows young Nadia fixing her hair and face in the black car's hood before approaching the men who will be responsible for her father's end with heart wrenching kindness, asking them how they are and offering them cakes. I wanted to shake some sense into her. Another shows Kostov raising his daughter into the air and swinging his wife around as those same men watch nearby, posed and ready to chase him, but slightly guiltily stepping back when they realize it is only a gesture of his love rather than an escape attempt.
The symbolism here is, in many cases, overly overt and obvious. The random fireballs across the sky that symbolize Stalin's sudden and arbitrary violence (incongruous to the film's flow in my opinion), the forever lost truck driver that reappears throughout the film to represent the Russian peasant who has lost his way (supposed to be funny, but feels more distracting and unnecessary), the perfectly timed oversized poster of Stalin's face rising into the air, held by a beautiful hot air balloon and bordered in a bright red (coinciding with the execution of Kostov and expected patriotic soundtrack).
At least there feels like there is some fairness by the film's end. Sadly, this is only in written epilogue film. I would not even call it a good one, only a realistic one. From what I have read, more historically realistic than the rest of the film.
That being said, "Burnt by the Sun" was a rather slow, but not entirely unlikeable film. Until the last approximately thirty minutes, where I felt it really shined. Pun intended.
Nikita Mikhalkov was not only the director of this film, but also the writer and lead actor. He played Colonel Kostov, a lovable man from start to finish. Kostov's daughter is named Nadia, played by none other than the aforementioned director's real life daughter Nadia. This, of course, explains the phenomenal chemistry between on screen father and daughter. Upon learning this, rather than being disappointed that the performances were not so based solely on their own merit, I felt even more appreciation for the film. Somehow, the fact that they were really father and daughter; that Mikhalov says that he "decided to play this role for the unique reason of helping the performance of my daughter... Nadia revealed herself to be an amazing acting partner"
(http://www.sonyclassics.com/burntbysun/misc/interview.html); that he held her on his shoulders as he accepted his Academy Award, had me wishing I could grade this film based solely on the relationship between father and daughter, both on and off screen, especially as shown in choice scenes.
One memorable scene is father talking innocently about what he wants for his daughter on a seemingly ordinary boat ride. Another shows young Nadia fixing her hair and face in the black car's hood before approaching the men who will be responsible for her father's end with heart wrenching kindness, asking them how they are and offering them cakes. I wanted to shake some sense into her. Another shows Kostov raising his daughter into the air and swinging his wife around as those same men watch nearby, posed and ready to chase him, but slightly guiltily stepping back when they realize it is only a gesture of his love rather than an escape attempt.
The symbolism here is, in many cases, overly overt and obvious. The random fireballs across the sky that symbolize Stalin's sudden and arbitrary violence (incongruous to the film's flow in my opinion), the forever lost truck driver that reappears throughout the film to represent the Russian peasant who has lost his way (supposed to be funny, but feels more distracting and unnecessary), the perfectly timed oversized poster of Stalin's face rising into the air, held by a beautiful hot air balloon and bordered in a bright red (coinciding with the execution of Kostov and expected patriotic soundtrack).
At least there feels like there is some fairness by the film's end. Sadly, this is only in written epilogue film. I would not even call it a good one, only a realistic one. From what I have read, more historically realistic than the rest of the film.