‘Masterpiece’ war film that’s ‘truly magnificent’ on Amazon Prime | Films | Entertainment

If you’re looking for a gripping war film to watch, there’s one that should be on your list. The film has been praised by audiences who have given the movie an impressive 8.2 rating out of 10 on IMDB. Warfare films have captivated audiences for decades, offering thrilling action, intense drama, historical insight and heartbreaking tales. The films often show the harsh realities of war, from the bravery of soldiers to the strategic planning of military leaders.

The Ascent (1977) tells the story of two Soviet partisans on a mission to gather food to contend with the winter cold, the occupying Germans, and their own psyches. One person who reviewed the film on IMDB called it a “Soviet masterpiece”.

One person on IMDB said: “The Ascent is a truly magnificent film, and rightly should be considered one of the best films of the 70s.”

They penned: “A Soviet masterpiece – The emotional richness of the film cannot be overstated; the answer is not as simplified as a short summary of the plot would make you think.

“The slow development of the characters, and the emphasis on their complicated relationships to each other, are somewhat reminiscent of The Commissar, another great Soviet film.

“The Ascent deserves a second watching, as well as a third, and a tenth. It continues to provide interesting ideas, beautiful images, and emotional complexity.”

Criterion Collection says the film was the “triumph” of a career cut tragically short as it was the final film from Larisa Shepitko.

Shepitko tragically died in a car crash two years after The Ascent was released, while scouting locations for her next film, but her final work is still hailed as a seminal piece of cinema almost half a century later.

The Ascent won the Golden Bear at the 1977 Berlin Film Festival and went on to be hailed as one of the finest works of late Soviet cinema.

The film features stark, visceral cinematography that pits blinding white snow against pitch-black despair, Criterion Collection adds.

If you’re hoping to watch the film, it’s available on Amazon Prime now.