"The Priest" deals with a fascinating piece of history from World War II. The Orthodox Church sends missionaries to the Russian countryside in order to enable a spiritual awakening among the common people, whose faith cooled under the skeptic Soviet regime. As the German invasion progress and the villages fall under enemy control, however, these missionaries reach a stalemate. Should they collaborate with the Germans, who promise freedom to preach and collect countless triumphs in the battlefield? Or should they resist the foreign invasion, therefore siding with the communists, who not long ago nearly destroyed the Orthodox cult?Numerous plot possibilities arise from this dangerous puzzle. The director Vladimir Khotinenko chose a good one. He present us the kind Father Alexander, assigned to a mission in the Zakaty village, close to Pskov. The village is under German administration and Father Alexander holds his rituals regularly. His rights are guaranteed by Ivan Fyodorovich, a Russian-born Wehrmacht officer. The German brutality, however, increasingly bothers Father Alexander. POWs are mistreated, ruthless public executions take place right in front of Alexander's church, the local fascist militia carries out degenerate actions. Eventually, Stalin manages to turn the tide of the war. Ivan Fyodorovich's prophetic words from the early scenes assume dreadful shape: "If it weren't for this war, every single church would be torn down by the Soviets... together with you." Father Alexander is now stuck in a no-win situation, threatened by communist retaliations and abandoned by his peers, for the Orthodox Church officially endorsed the Soviet cause in 1943. Indeed, we have a good plot. It amazes me in every way."The Priest", however, somehow loses all its grace. I felt tired while watching it. I found it dull and amateur. It looked like a poor quality flick from the 90s, to be fair. Obsolete camera techniques and editing tools ruined the experience. Who told Khotinenko random slow motion frames would look cool? I generally don't pay much attention to image details, but the issues here are glaring.Moreover, the soundtrack is manipulative, repetitive and unoriginal. The scenes supposed to be transcendental and sacred, supposed to inspire religious fervor, look ridiculous thanks to the score and the filming. Lastly, the supporting actors are not really talented. They were unconvincing and unnatural in most situations. On the other side, the actors playing Father Alexander, his wife Aletvina and the Wehrmacht officer have done a wonderful job. But in no way they could save this film, not at all. "The Priest" is a clear waste of potential. Such captivating background story deserves a serious approach from a competent director. I hope something good comes out soon.

I don't understand why any Westerner would give low votes for this film and say it's biased. But i guess Antonio from Ireland is Atheist. The only reality was that the Orthodox Church suffered great persecution by the atheistic regime of Communism, during Lenin or Stalin. Ask any Russian. The films is based on real facts. In Russia, Ukraine, Romania the Orthodox Church was persecuted and suffered murders and genocide. The movie is a part of that reality which affected Russia from 1919 to 1980s. I believe the director created a masterpiece and the rating is not real, reflecting the anti-Orthodox rhetoric of today. The film music is impressive, the dialogue, the landscape. The complex representation of the society between Nazis, ordinary Russians, Orthodox faith and Communists. I don't know why these kind of films which shows the reality of that era are so hated by some people. This film should have taken prizes for the director creativity.

Beautiful. Powerful. And cold. Delicate and sad. A testimony about a time, few people and definition of faith. Gray shadows and gorgeous lights. A priest and a village. The presence of God as song of soul. Words and looks. And courage to be yourself. A film like a ice flower, small, in facts but awful remember. The father Alexander may be any priest in Gulag. Every man for who the values are more than letters on a paper. Must see to understand a Russia. And for discover a strange science to say the truth, to kill the evil, to be more shadow in a crazy era. A film about life and its little pieces. A movie about love and pray in the childhood nuances. A confession of an old monk. In the skin of a smile. The man and his existence. The ladder. The fight.

Its a real creation of Art! Film impressed me a lot. I'm an actor and in 90% of films I see how good or bad was made editors work, I think about how bad or good was play of actors etc... When I watched this film I forget that picture on a screen is "just a play" - everything was More Real than ANY 3-d or "23-d"... In some moments I cry... I don't remember when I cry because of film... "Pop" is the one of the greatest films I ever seen...I can't believe that I communicated with the person which played Father Alexander... It's some magic when some (even a little bit, but familiar) person turns Role into Real Person! I know that Makovetsky is an actor but at this film he is more Real Priest than some Priests in Churches... Makovetsky is one of the Greatest actors today and may be here is the best his role... Soon I will watch this film again because it touches my heart...