After being sent out to the sea, two times before, in the Russo-Japanese War and the First World War. All that Vice Admiral, Alexander Kolchak (Konstantin Khabenskiy) wants to do, is find who is his true-love is: his wife, Sofia Kolchak (Anna Kovalchuk) & fame poet, Anna Timiryova (Elizaveta Boyarskaya) back home. However, the call of war, is calling his name, once more, as he has to make, another choice, choose to lead of the anti-communist White Movement against the Bolsheviks during the Russian Civil War, for the love of his country or abandoned his noble cause, for the chance for a normal life with his love ones. Without spoiling the movie, too much, the film remind me, so much of 1965's Doctor Zhivago in story-structure, having flashbacks tell most of the story. However, unlike Doctor Zhivago, this movie's lacks the epic scope in the cinematography department. As much as I love war scenes in this war film, there is this eerily unrealistic that come with some of the sequences. A good example of this, come with the navy battles, during the opening. Not only are most of those scenes, historic inaccuracy, like the sinking of SMS Friedrich Carl in November 1915, when it sunk for real, two years earlier; but the computer-animation ships don't look like, they're really there. It looks a bit fake-looking. It was bit, over the top to see that ship blows apart and sinks within seconds with a clear big loss of lives by Russian mines. When, actually, the Friedrich Carl was stayed afloat for several hours, enough for the light cruiser SMS Augsburg to arrive to the scene and rescue most of the crew, and only 8 crew members were lost. Nevertheless, that fault; the war scenes in the ground scenes were still intense and well-shot. I like how they didn't sugarcoat, the violence. It's bloody, gory, and very gruesome. I just wish, the CGI effect were done, a little better. Directed by Andrey Kravchuk, the romantic sequences are kinda below standards, too as the movie rarely gives anytime, for the relationship between Kolchak and Timiryova to deliver. The two, barely show any chemistry for each other. Another thing, the film fails to tell, is a little background, like how Kolchak honestly became an Admiral. I'm not saying the film has to show the events of his life during the Russo-Japanese War, but a small mention would do. After all, Kolchak's life during that war, was very interesting and intense. Another thing, the movie doesn't show, is how Kolchak became the leader of the White Movement after his meeting in Petrograd. You would think the movie would show, his relationship with France, the United States, and the United Kingdom, more and how he almost got sent to Mesopotamia. That, or show his time, exile overseas in Japan. Even, his polar explorer career wasn't mention or expose much. It would make a lot more sense, if the movie mention that the reason, why he choose to come back to Siberia to fight back against the reds, is because he knew that area, best. However, the film doesn't even do that. Nor does it expose, the many of deaths by citizens, cause both from the Reds and the Whites, during this time. Yes, the whites did attack towns as well. While, there is a lot of debate if Kolchak in true-life was a natural patriotic hero for liberty, or an autocratic man seeking power. It's just nice to see that, after decades of being vilified by the Soviet government, Kolchak is now just now, seem as a controversial historic figure in post-Soviet Russia. He's not good nor bad. I just wouldn't say, Konstantin Khabenskiy is good as a romantic lead, but as a commander, he has the voice to pull it off. He comes off, kinda stern, but also somewhat heart-warming at parts. Elizaveta Boyarskaya as Anna Timiryova is a beautiful, however, her character lacks depth, so her acting doesn't shine, besides loving the Kolchak character in most of her key scenes. I would love to see, more of her acting, in other ways, like showing Anna's career as poet and a nurse. The movie doesn't even show, any of her poems at all. Nor does the movie talk or show Anna Timiryova's young son, the fame avant garde artist Vladimir Timirev, who was around, Kolchak are the time. Despite that, the movie is pretty good. I like how the title uses the old, Russian orthography that was abandoned after the October Socialist Revolution of 1917. That was pretty cool. The movie is indeed in Russian, but DVD does have English subtitles. Overall: Despite some faults, Admiral is still a movie worth, seeing. It's kinda rare to see, a Russian movie about the White Movement. So check it out!

Kolchak is just another scum. He made his own GULAG and put in concentration camps about 1000000 people. Не killed hundreds of thousands: only in Ekaterinburg region "whites" killed 25000 civils and POWs. One American (from Red cross) described the situation: "I swear to God, I am not exaggerating! ... In Siberia, the horror and death at every step on a scale that would have shocked the most callous heart... ". Now they are trying to make some sort of "hero" out of murderer, traitor and British agent. They are even trying to show, that he can fell in love with somebody and some morons even think, that it is real "stirring story of love, honour, patriotism and heroism". Pure lie!!!

Perhaps I was not the only moviegoer who was reluctant to go and see this film. For too long time Russians have been fed with another history of Great October Revolution, and now the trend is to try and show it in complete reverse. But this appears to be absolutely irrelevant to anyone who wasn't born in the USSR. And then, the main storyline is love, and civil war appears to be just a background, but an essential background as the title character Kolchak is the head of the White Guard Army faithfully fighting for ideas and beliefs of falling Russian Empire. The story is very well served, focusing not on the fall of Empire and what followed that fall, but on the personality of Kolchak himself. He is a human with his own vices and weaknesses, a man who had a lot of affairs but only one true love. The opening sea battle gives a taste of unwanted pathos to the story. Being trapped by enemies on severely damaged ship with half of the crew either dead or invalid, then-captain Kolchak single-handedly manages to cause irreparable damage to German "Karl Friedrich" ship and win the battle, which looks a bit surreal. What follows is Kolchak's rise and Russian Empire's fall intertwined with a strong feeling between him and his friend's wife, Anna. The story is inaccurate in terms of historical authenticity, but nevertheless impressive and epic. The title character of Kolchak is brilliantly portrayed by Konstantin Knabensky, who finally gained the maturity needed and a slight tinge of pathos which never goes away throughout the entire movie. The role of Kolchak's ally and friend, general Kappel, is also well portrayed by Sergei Bezrukov who seems to overact in most of his roles, but this time hits the nail right in. Another notable character is Sonya, Kolchak's wife played by Anna Kovalchuk. This stoic woman endured her husband's numerous adulteries with infinite grace and patience, finally losing him to the femme fatal Anna Timireva but never stopping to love him. The character of Anna herself was meant to be the highlight of the movie, an image of a wealthy married woman who gives up everything to follow her true love through war and misery, but instead appeared to be a flat, insignificant, and very badly played by Elizaveta Boyarskaya role. She is simply not credible and far from portraying this complex character, pushing only with her natural beauty instead. She doesn't care whether she loves Kolchak, doesn't care if he is dead or alive - she just moves and talks respectively to the storyline. That's why the love story itself fails to be delivered on screen and leave the audience with any message. Having said that, it doesn't mean that the movie is bad at all, it just lacks this emotional grip on the audience in terms of love story, but it delivers the story of one man who attempted to change the history, and the history itself behind that man.

Theme of white movement one of the most interesting and grasping in the history of Russia the XX-th centuries. It is history of the people who have chosen the way, distinct from others. And victims for the ideals. Someone it is valorous, someone it is disgraceful. Kolchak was the leader of white movement and it was actually possible to create a fine film. But, again unfortunately it has not turned out … Well when it will turn out?! Actually we will not stop on historical errors of a film, we will notice that they were, however as well as in many other films.The main thing that is evident throughout all film is immense PATHOS, is direct to a nausea. The first fighting scene, with the German ship, in the beginning develops impression that we and do not resist to the opponent, at us a heap of the wounded and killed simple sailors. And Kolchak somehow easy goes and observes of it. Such sensation that Kolchak untouchable, also it is necessary to show in a considerable quantity a meat grinder from stupid and worthless Russian sailors. And then Kolchak will show a master class and will damage the enemy ship. Then a scene with passage through mines. There was an impression that if Kolchak has not prayed, we would not pass. And, Germans have forgotten, and in vain, and for it have rigidly paid off.Now about a love story. To what genius has come to mind to invite this actress Liza Boyarskaya. I certainly understand that her daddy the fine actor, but it not so is often descended. Its game is simply awful. It is a pity that in Russia so cinema clans are strong. Well and so, Liza Boyarskaya such sensation that in first half of film plays the full silly woman. That, a silly smile with glass eyes does not understand even elementary things. In second half of film she repeats «I love you, Alexander Vasilevich» some times for a film, but, apparently, that to her all these recognitions are absolutely indifferent. To it whether it is boring, whether it is opposite, whether simply it would be desirable to smoke.Khabensky also not so approaches. In general it looks like the shtabs-captain … It speaks about feelings more, but these words are incorporeal and empty. What to us try to show, what an admiral only and did, what prayed?! And still ran from red faster a hare in wood. Probably, he loved one woman of more Russia. And destiny in which he has started to trust has deprived of it, both Russia, and the beloved.Bezrukov has not badly played. But what it has shown, brave, to nonsense of the general because of which it has ruined himself and Kolchak?! Who really was pleasant so it Kovalchuk. Has perfectly played it is a pity that to it has got so poorly screen time. Almost only its scenes with an admiral have caused in me though any emotions. Thanks.Unpleasant feeling has left selection and other actors. Literally everyone not in the role. As result — any emotions from game.As a result once again I will repeat that it is very a pity...Thanks for attention.