Sasha and Vanya are two very different Russian soldiers. The first one has got far too much to say for himself. Daredevil, he seems to like the war. The second one is shy and inexperienced. He seems to hate the military profession.
Made prisoners by Chechen rebels after a bloody ambush, they are taken away in a out-of-the-way village in the mountains of Caucasus. Their destiny? To be exchanged against the son of the chief of the village, put in prison by the Russians, or die.
The waiting begins. A waiting, that is stood by quarrels and hugs between these two characters opposed in everything.
As for their jailers, they play with the nerves of the prisoners and even with their feelings, as soon as young and beautiful Dina comes around. We already knew the superb short story by Tolstoy "Habdul Mourad". Sergei Bodrov chose to adapt another one, "Prisoner of the Caucasus", as moving as contemporary. No "prejudice", no judgment in this cinematographical jewel, based mainly on the evolution of the relationship between men in an extraordinary background. All the actors are amazing and perfect, the landscapes are sublime, the staging outstanding. A long time after having seen this film, you remain haunted by its images, like these melodies of Tchaikovsky you can't dismiss from your mind.

Submitted by Juliet Regibot