The Ascent

From the opening scene, I knew this film was going to be special. The camerawork is spectacular, but what is more interesting than the imagery, are the characters in Shepitko's camera. Sotnikov and Rybak are extremely interesting characters, both of which show initiative and courage in the face of adversity, but get tested when faced with death. One of the best films made about the human conscience. I was absolutely blown away, A Masterpiece.

Gripping, chilling, depressing. Would you expect anything else from a Soviet war film? A powerful combination of haunting environment shots, eerie music and sound, and characters forced to choose between saving their soul or their hide once the spectre of death looms over them. The movie portrays dying for your country without concessions as something saintly, which leaves an uncomfortable aftertaste, yet it's understandable considering the horrifying period depicted here.

This movie could certainly be a little more subtle, but the Soviets were never really known for that. It is an intense film about integrity and conscience, with excellent cinematography and a gripping plot. What I found most interesting is how Shepitko handily shifts how you feel about the two main characters. It's also a much better film than the very overrated Come and See, by her husband.

Starts out as a tier 10 with everything going for it: great directing and photography and acting, fascinating storytelling. Then ruins everything by devolving into into a dumb, uncritical and uninspired regurgitation of the Jesus story. I found it painful to be hooked on a movie so early only to have my intelligence so thoroughly insulted later on.

At once harrowing and ethereal, this is a truly ambitious and powerful work. A lot of the appeal here is the beautiful high-contrast winter photography; I'm a sucker for winter photography anyway but here it also serves as a powerful backdrop for the intense moral journey Shepitko puts her protagonists through. Very soulful and visceral performances by the leads as well.

(COME & FREEZE)

Crushingly powerful work by Shepitko. Contrast this with Wings & it's obvious her reputation as a master is if anything undersold. In retrospect it's easy to overestimate its nationalist/propagandist aspect, especially since the biblical allusions are not exactly subtle. Looking closer its psychological hellscape goes much deeper as it deals with the role of solidarity in a hopelessly cruel situation. Its brilliantly crafted mix of nihilism & transcendence defies all that's generic in war films.

thanks to criticker I'm discovering a whole universe of amazing Soviet movies

A diptych wherein defiance of death looks first noble, then deeply craven. Some very intense scenes; a film so heavy always produces a nagging skepticism in me, but it's an effective nail-biter all the same. Bold sound design. High-contrast b/w photography, recalling something like The Elephant Man.

Functions in many ways similar to Rome, Open City, praised in part for its documentative ability to capture and reflect local zeitgeist towards the war, here being strong nationalist ideas demanding pain, sacrifice, death, among other things of distressing nature. Some risks taken on the part of Shepitko, though admirable, didn't pan out, even if the overall style it fit into did.

Very impressive interrogation of the problem of making choices while living in the proximity of the imminence of death. There are numerous fine sequences, but the odd mix of subtlety and heavy-handedness too often veered into the latter for this viewer, somewhat blunting the effect.

elem klimov made come and see, his last film, after the death of his wife. she directed this film, also her last. between them, they have directed two of the most astonishing, wretched war films ever made. klimov's was an audiovisual assault of horror, where this one probes much deeper into the conscience of our characters. nonetheless they have striking similarities, most notably in their jaw-dropping sound design. no subtlety either, which in both cases makes for shocking, powerful films.

The religious overtones can occasionally get a little bit overbearing but this war film is, nonetheless, a gorgeously shot and stirring examination of conscience and moral dilemmas.

It lacks a little bit of punch, especially as you're watching it, but it's still a really effective movie that uses the war setting as an exploration of motivations and conscience. Every decision made by the characters in the film leads to the next, and seeing it all come together provides some interesting food for thought.

A well crafted war film about the repercussions of frailty but by taking the story beyond its literary boundaries it becomes excessively dramatic so it never hit me on a gut level, though there are enough gorgeous shots, nail-bitting moments and compelling characters to satisfy most of you filmlovers out there (myself included).

If we ignore the chilling atmosphere, the phenomenal camera work and set pieces that make for a horrifying, palpable and painfully real feel of the inhumane cold of the Russian tundra, the great acting and steady, mesmerising pace, what is left is still an absolute masterpiece of a story. The arcs and the juxtaposition of the strong man and the great man - the latter being the one who can transcend the flesh and keep his eyes on the prize, on the world beyond as a Christ-like figure - is enough.

Impressive. While it is very much in the vein of Come and See (which was actually made after this, but which I saw first), I appreciate this film more because of its clear-eyed focus on what it means to be human. There is a fair bit of cinema that seems content wallowing in the mire of broken humanity, but this presents an alternative vision, using Snitkov to provide moments that transcend the brokenness and orient us toward true humanity.

War movies usually aren't this intimate and small in scope, and I appreciate that aspect, along with the cinematography. There are plenty of powerful moments, and a few bombastic ones, especially toward the end. It's definitely worth a watch.

Watching this for the third time, but many years after the last time, I remembered thinking it was utterly brilliant, but wasn't exactly sure why. For most of it's running time, this is a very good war film with a particularly good sense of what this much snow is really like. Then I got to the last 20 minutes and remembered. What an absolutely stunning piece of work.

One of the few films I've seen where I could feel the cold. An absolutely miserable film that showcases two tremendous lead performances. Each man finds a breaking point that is completely believable and captured elegantly.

An absolute masterpiece of bleak despair. The first 45 minutes or so were among the most gripping I've ever seen in a movie--I've seen plenty of war movies where it's depicted as unpleasant, but few if any depict it quite that awfully. The rest is only slightly less great, with internal rather than external issues taking over as it examines different reactions in the face of death. Amazing B/W cinematography, especially (again) in the first 45 minutes. Sparse but effective score. A special movie

For the first half at least, this gripping saga appears destined for masterpiece territory, with Shepitko's spare, unflinching direction establishing an atmosphere of dread terror (the barn scene in particular). Unfortunately the second half devolves into a not uninteresting but simplistic (and heavy-handed) Christ parable - the final scene in particular reaches a level of mysticism out of place with the remainder of the film. Solonitsyn is wonderfully sinister as their Pilate equivalent.

At the beginning, for a while it seems as if it's going to be yet another entry into endearingly unpleasant Soviet war movies. Raw storytelling, great photography; unflinchingly conveyed how it would feel to be in this setting. But then it gets to a certain point and it just slows down hard and I stopped caring until the final bit, which is admittedly powerful. They needed to do/say something interesting and they didn't. It became a chore, technical competence be damned.

Hard to believe this is from 1977.

what moribunny said, but yeah it's worth it for the interrogator and that shot where jesusov is dragged through the snow.

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The first half hour or so is extraordinary and there are powerful images throughout. The final act spreads on the Christ/Judas allegory too thickly, but is potent despite that.

Jesus Christ, Soviet war movies hit hard.

Thick and heavy and loud, interesting if you like socialist nationalism and those soviet interpretations of Christianity. For a while, a worthy portrayal of the inner conflicts of soldiers facing imminent capture and death. In the sad, long history of soviet propaganda, this is actually far on the subtle side. Don't laugh.

Harrowing. Beautiful. It leaned a bit too much on a christlike story towards the end, but still delivered an original diversity of human reactions in the face of death. Some very powerful existentialist moments. Cinematographically similar to Come and See, a lot because of the face-camera shots.

Best war movie Ive seen. After it, a timer goes off where for a while you can't watch Western war films

Everyone always loves the Christ figure

On first impression an existential and forsaken tragedy about wartime toil and desperation. The barren snowscapes, the lengthy close-ups, the ragged conviction of its players... it's a gorgeous film. Disappointing then, when it becomes apparent that Shepitko estimates the greatest atrocity to be betrayal of the motherland. A moral compass which pivots on repeated gestures of nationalist principles, where loyal heroes are martyred in front of single tear-cheeked children. It's off-putting.

Moving war drama with good acting and excellent cinematography but I think the heavy emotional content creates the illusion of a bit more depth than there really is.

Directed by Larisa Shepitko, "Voskhozhdeniye" can be placed in the genre of "rare" Soviet war-time films which are not focused on "mainstream" heorism of Red Army. Taking a closer look into the conflicting human soul in the face of death and life border, Shepitko's film worth to be seen. Andrei Tarkovsky's alter ego, Anatoli Solonitsyn is also takes place in the film.

Harrowing is the word; in the depths of both WW2 and a Russian winter, the struggles of two men run from basic survival to the defense of their very souls...and the outcome is anything but certain. The B&W cinematography at times traps the characters in what seems to be an endless white void, the use of contrast and texture is frequently stunning. Larisa Sheptiko, who died too soon, directs beautifully; the acting is excellent all around. Overplays its hand at times, but it's truly wrenching.

A bleak Russian war movie with a distinctly Russian Orthodox tinge. The suffering has a voluptuous quality reminiscent of Dostoyevsky. The lighting of some of the scenes seem to recall Icons found in churches. I love the earlier section in the snow encrusted forest, which is filmed in a sort of heightened realism. The latter part, in the confined space of a cell, is more stylized and less convincing.

I just don't care, I don't think it's particularly impressive or good either. Solonitsyn is great, though.

Excellent themes and moral dilemmas posed. I didn't find the characters believable enough to find the story gripping like others found.

Hard to put into words but watching this was a powerful experience. At no point does the film give me comforting anwers, it only asks tough questions, and it's hard to watch all the characters become more and more hopeless and "accept" their fates. Particularly the kid and the woman. That ending scene was incredibly intense. Stunning movie in many senses of the word.

Soul crushing portrayal of the effects of the brutality of war on the human spirit that builds to a devastating climax, every bit the equal of Shepitka's husband Elem Klimov's Come And See.

nice

It falls in the same category as 'Saints and Soldiers' and 'When trumpets fade'. If you like these, you'll enjoy this one.

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