I have no idea what all these whiny little reviewers have a problem with. Pretty much all of them say, "its not what I was expecting". Who cares what you were expecting!!! It was an amazing movie. Well done, good acting, great story, good action, entertaining, surprisingly good script. I think all the little whiny babies need to move out of their mothers basement and get a freaking life. I'm so glad I didn't follow the reviews and instead followed my instinct based on the trailer. I really loved the movie and will recommend it to others.

STALINGRAD 2013This 2013 Russian production is an absolutely stunning looking war film. Having said that, it is a shame that the lack of a real story robs the potential this had to be a first rate war film. Anyone expecting a film on the Battle of Stalingrad had best be ready to be disappointed.The film trots out a tale of a group of Soviet soldiers, sailors etc holding a large house near the Volga in Stalingrad. They are outnumbered and out gunned by the Nazi bunch all around them. The script plays out like one of the Soviet era war films from 1960's. All the standard Soviet types that populated those films are present. There are all the same political "fighting for the motherland" type drivel that just serves to slow the action.While the cgi effects and battle parts are really quite well done, the lack of a real story, bring the non-battle scenes to a rather boring slow walk. The Soviets are all hero types, while the Germans are all perfect Nazi swine.A real missed opportunity to make a classic film on one of the great battles of WW2, A shame.

This movie takes place during the siege of Stalingrad during World War 2 but just saying that takes away from the very human story that is portrayed. The Russian soldiers and "mama", a young Russian woman that is trapped with them as they defend their small corner of hell. During all this chaos, these characters try desperately to hold on to their humanity and, in doing so, create some powerful introspective scenes. I found myself really being pulled into their characters and their relationships in between the battle scenes. I even found myself engrossed in the relationship that began between the German Captain and Russian partisan. This is so much more than a war movie. I dare say it isn't a war movie at all, but a tragedy that takes place amidst the backdrop of a city at war. I've rarely been moved by a movie like I was here. Another great triumph for Russian cinema. Another very human movie from Russia that takes place during war that touched me like this was "9th Company". As with that one, this movie is well worth the time invested in it.

Look closely beyond the battle scenes and you will find ironies: A German captain judging Russians as back stabbers, as beasts -- all the while representing a fascist army occupying another country and destroying it. Russian soldiers who manage to find beauty while war rages around them. A Russian who shoots a water-fetching German who showed his canteen to the enemy to avoid getting shot. A fellow Russian reproaches the shooter as inhumane and the shooter reminds him of the Germans' inhumanity. The statue of children holding hands in a circle as the world crumbles around it. The battle scenes are good but the human element in this movie is priceless. I came away thinking that I knew every Russian soldier holed up in the building. And I came to care for them. We forget that the Russians were the valiant ones fighting fascism for so long while the U.S./Britain bade their time (and for good reason). We forget that while Stalin was as bad as Hitler that his soldiers held off the Nazi monster for so long and, ultimately, allowed the West (and my Army dad) to crack the western wall and march toward Germany. Unlike us in the U.S., Russians suffered so much. Their cities were destroyed. Millions of them died. They (the Russian people) are my heroes for their sacrifices so we could buy time. I hope this film reminds us to give credit where credit is truly due. -- Guillermo Torres