If you're after an epic, action-packed war movie, then this low-budget Brit flick, filmed in Sussex, might not be what you're after - but this well-made, character-driven movie certainly has plenty to offer the viewer.
It tells the story of a rag-tag group of German soldiers, trying to make their way back from the Russian front to re-join their lines, with two female Russian prisoners and the Officer-in-Command's girlfriend, a Ukranian 'collaborator', in tow.
Some reviewers seem rather put-off that the German soldiers speak English and don't put on any accents. This might be slightly jarring for a few moments, but hardly spoils the film and you soon accept this approach (which seems quite OK for the likes of Sean Connery, I might add).
The two Russian soldiers, Rosa & Nina (really well played by Brit actresses Laura Jean Marsh and Bethany Slater) have to constantly keep their captors on-side and prove their value, nursing one of the wounded men, while all the time waiting for an opportunity to try and escape.
The Germans themselves are not all depicted as pure evil - with some being sympathetic towards the women - but there are one or two nasty pieces of work that you just know they need to be especially wary of. There is a flashback scene, showing a previous trauma endured by one of the women at the hands of a Nazi commander, that is especially harrowing.
Scottish actress Mhairi Calvey is extremely impressive as Aliya, the love-interest of the lead German officer. The character could have been just another stereotype, but is very believable and sympathetic and there are some great scenes between her and the Russian women - plus, the nastiest German Sergeant (played with relish, by Neal Ward) also has his eye on her.
Although not 'action-packed', there are some very effective small-scale, battle scenes and there is one sequence, where the group come across a massacred German unit, (complete with bodies hanging from the trees) that is particularly effective.
The SFX/Pyrotechnics team do a great job on a tiny budget, and the whole thing is very well filmed with a strong, orchestral score.
Writer/Director/Producer Rick Roberts is not a name I'd previously heard of, but he's done a good job here, and I'll certainly keep an eye on his future projects.
