This is a very exciting movie with great actors who have made everything possible out of the characters. And this is a film that cannot be ranked among works of art, shot in the spirit of realism.
If there is a genre of depressive extravaganza, then this series is from there. Fairy? There is a style of using magical elements to reveal the completeness of the plot, the main idea of the text in literature, there is also in the film to create an impression of the presence of meaning in it. Consider the fact that the genre of extravaganza was widely represented in the cinema of the early XX century, before the First World War.
And in the series, the events of the first Soviet decades stretch into a long history, almost ending World War II. Only unlike the old extravaganzas, this one does not adorn anything, but kills the ideals of the old era, offering in return a splash of dead ends.
After World War II, viewers were so bombarded with a combination of fairy tales with film versions based on real events that the lines between fact and fiction were erased. When designating the genre of theatrical and circus performances, if staged effects were used to show fantastic magical scenes, the term was convenient. It’s also good for movies.
Only the old extravaganzas were supposed to entertain and create a cheerful mood, and the Apostle series plunges into depression - almost all about hopeless dead ends. And fantasies about the incredible abilities of spies and scouts, saboteurs and their superiors - what is not an extravaganza?
First, intelligence agencies must work with facts and evidence. Intuition also has a place, but everything must be scrupulously justified, since adventurism and the “pumpkin method” threaten to fail. In the film, the curator of the Apostle is some kind of hypergenius, a champion of international class in psychic battles.
Fomenko in the role of superchekist showed not just a duel of brilliant specialists in espionage, but the battle of two giants with abilities that surpass the properties of ordinary people.
Of course, it was such characters that could be trusted: one manipulation by blood descendants, another - counter-manipulation. And why the main character was needed for the “bait catch”, then it is clearer.
Enchanting reincarnation, fabulous acquisition of skills, infernal attitude to hostages, for which a typical civilian has to fit into a mad adventure.
Blacks from series to series becomes so much that the viewer gets used to such doses and ceases to notice an overdose.
As a result, the military-historical drama mutates and becomes a depressive extravaganza about the defenders and traitors of the homeland, who have become effective enemies of the people, degenerates into a duel of two supermen, in which, in the course of the case, one duelist exterminates the descendants of the other. Who is physically eliminated and who is mentally eliminated.
So what was it? Nothing but drama with a taste of tragedy does not work, and the film story about scouts and counterintelligence became just a fantasy.
By the way, is “candy” good in such a chic fantasy? It has a distinct taste of mystical powder.
Even though it was shot and played at a high level, nothing but a neutral assessment is possible. Mainly due to the fact that the series really wanted to seem military-historical and claimed to be a true show of the essence of the time.
5 out of 10
This year, we decided to go through the military series during the May holidays. Of course, movies were also watched, but more emphasis was made on the series. Of course, you can’t watch them in a week, so we will devote the whole month of May to this. For us, the whole month is festive. In parallel with "Four tankmen and a dog" we watch now and "Apostle" (I wanted to write a review yesterday, but did not have time, yesterday we watched the Victory parades as they are held in different cities, republics and countries. I like to watch parades, a grandiose spectacle, although you watch in the recording, but still awe in the heart.
This series is watching for the 5th time in the last 10 years, very much he hooked me in his time, and in the title role one of the most talented and best actors of modern Russian cinema - Evgeny Mironov. This man is a TALANTIST! I always enjoy watching his films. Of course, there is no war in this series, more precisely, it is not shown as such, fronts, shootouts, battles - this is not, the war is only implied here, but the action takes place precisely during the Great Patriotic War.
Multi-part Russian film "Apostle" about scouts-saboteurs. The life of Paul Istomin, the main character of the series, changes at one moment when his twin brother, recruited by the Wehrmacht and sent to the territory of the USSR with a reconnaissance and sabotage group, is captured by the NKVD and dies at the hands of the investigator while trying to escape. Under the threat of reprisal over his wife and son, Paul is forced to replace his murdered brother on the path of a scout-saboteur. The leadership of the state security is interested in Otto Heldrich , the head of the intelligence school of the Abwehr, who has been hunted for a long time. Peter Istomin was trained at the school Heldrich, and PaulHe has to learn everything that his brother knew. In isolation from the outside world, the gentle and compliant geography teacher becomes a tough and calculating killer. He learns the laws and habits of criminals, hand-to-hand combat, the German language and many other things necessary in his new life.
In general, an impressive series, 10 hours of atmospheric and tense action movie will appeal to both fans of domestic TV series and fans of films about the war. The series is replete with picturesque footage, because in addition to Russia, it was also filmed in Minsk, Prague, France and Tunisia. Not in the film and without a romantic line. It connects the main character and his wife, and this topic is allocated a significant part of screen time. Awesome movie. I am once again excited about the game of Evgeny Mironov. You've got more than that. It breaks you to tears.
This series is another gift for fans of the brilliant game Eugene Mironov. In the film, he played completely different twin brothers. A thief in law, an immoral man, a traitor and a humble teacher. This teacher, however, turned out to be a good student - he became a professional scout with a full set of superpowers. Istomin was transformed beyond recognition - up to the modern for that time eye surgery, which returned him one hundred percent vision. But the main intrigue of the series is to find a traitor. As a result of the search for this traitor, the main character reveals the monstrous secret of his family. Despite all the tragedy of the current situation in the film, the villains are still punished, the heroes are awarded.
I won’t judge believability or improbability—after all, you had to live in those times and circumstances. And a work of fiction, especially of the adventure genre, has the right to fiction - as they say, without lying, you can not tell a beautiful story. The film is made for five!
This series does not claim to be a masterpiece. It's just a very good modern movie about our unpredictable past. I hope that young people are watching it, because the topic of the unbroken human personality is very clear. All 12 episodes of The Apostle are worth watching, if only for the sake of the final scene. . .
We watch the whole family. So far we've looked exactly halfway. I love the story and the actors. Such a film about the war has not yet been, neither in Soviet cinema nor in Russian. This movie is special. When I first watched it, all 12 episodes were in one breath. Fomenko in the role of captain of the NKVD Good unrealistic. Mironov, as usual, plays great. A bit of truth was won over by a few frank blunders - mainly, these are expressions like "chase", "mut", etc. And in general, a good film. I recommend it to everyone.
I was not going to write this review, but when I went to the site to evaluate, I saw a lot of “red” reviews. This surprised me and even upset me, and I decided to speak out.
I will immediately note (so that my opinion is not guided by those who really do not need it) that I am optimistic about Russian TV series. I believe that we not only know how, but also remove good stories (“Law”, “Penalty”, “Chiromancer”, “Nine unknowns”...). “The Apostle” for me is another worthy work, generally retaining the typical features of a good domestic serial film.
If you look closely, the Apostle is scolded for almost two things: the scarcity of Soviet patriotism and the grotesque script. Both claims are not in vain, the only question is how much it interferes with watching. The film will not be liked, respectively, by those for whom one of these criteria decides everything.
1) to those who want to see all Soviet Chekists as brave scouts, and all Aryans as tirelessly screaming pigs with naked yellow fangs.
2) those who cannot bear the improbably rapid development of the GG, and the improbably high role of the “simple person” in history.
3)... well, and even those who are accustomed to extreme dynamism and despises the detailed tempo of presentation characteristic of Russian TV series.
The rest of the readers of this review will probably enjoy the film. And they will be able to enjoy both a detailed study of characters and interesting plot twists, both acting and convincingly revealed theme of loyalty to the fatherland. And they will see here simple human patriotism, yes, let not Soviet, but Russian (as well as Ukrainian, Tatar...).
Before us is not the most realistic, but piercing and carefully written story. Those who are ready to accept the rules of the game are unlikely to be disappointed, because the creators of the Apostle can play.
Since I was interested, and about the time spent, I do not regret, I safely put
9 out of 10
There are problems with the script in this series. Sagging scenes, sugary pictures of the past, meaningless episodes. A third of the storylines can be thrown away without regret.
By the middle of the series, I began to skip first a very long and uninteresting screensaver, then a description of the previous series, then flashbacks, and finally I wanted to squander the main storyline.
I stopped watching because of the increasing amount of nonsense on the screen. Throwing the hero, ingratiation, etc. greatly damaged the film, because they diluted a potentially good spy film with liters of snot.
In addition, the one-sided vision of Soviet power as leaders over a large camp of the USSR affects my worldview.
I can’t say anything bad about acting, I don’t understand. I can't say good either. Only the character of Fomenko seemed realistic to me.
I do not recommend or believe the rating. The show isn't good.
The action of the series ' Apostle' takes place in the difficult years of the Great Patriotic War. German agent Peter Istomin, who came to the Soviet Union from Germany, turned out to be a thief, dies.
But there remain unfinished business in fascist Germany, important for the USSR, which a figure like Peter Istomin could accomplish. It was decided to replace Peter Istomin with a twin brother Pavel Istomin, who is a village teacher. This moment of replacing the criminal authority far from these cases, the representative of the intelligentsia, culture has already met in the cinema: ' Gentlemen of luck'.
But this replacement of two people who are completely similar in appearance, but not at all similar internally, forms the basis of the plot of this film. Both of these people were played by Evgeny Mironov. Different types of character.
First, he in the first series in the image of Peter will be bold and fearless, brazenly conduct a forced conversation with the military, drawn up with cigarette smoke. This type of character is tempered or yet crippled by life, fate, which is no longer afraid of much. Is he afraid of anything?
Then he in the image of Peter Istomin will be a kind, soft teacher wearing glasses, who will enthusiastically tell his students in cold and hungry years about distant hot countries.
Two people are two opposites: kindness and toughness, compliantness and self-confidence, impudence. Why did the two brothers have such a different fate? One has passed through fire, water, copper pipes, the other seems helpless before life, passive, soft, not adapted to its severity. But the word is embarrassing ' as if' because it is Peter, having passed with an ambiguous result the process of preparation, who will have to go to fascist Germany, playing reliably the image absolutely alien to him, overdoing himself. At the same time, keeping within himself the light of his intelligence, kindness, decency. That's how life turned out. She's unpredictable. And here may be references to Stirlitz himself from 'Seventeen Moments of Spring' All this different, complex range of characters played perfectly Evgeny Mironov.
Nikolai Fomenko played a military man of the NKVD Khromov - a man of courage, harsh, tough, principled. But is that a good thing?
Someone is a front agent, a person with a double character. Who is he? This is also one of the secrets of this film. And here you can already draw a parallel with ' Liquidation' Because he is so own, ' that no one can even think' But is it possible to revive it as a phoenix, redemption?
In this series, you can feel that difficult time of the war, although military operations are not shown. Gray, almost black and white background. The harsh living conditions of that time, anxiety, uncertainty of the future.
But the call sign itself ' Apostle', as well as those names: Paul and Peter, which are given to the heroes not by chance, refer to religious motives, even biblical, which in this difficult time were still faith and hope, maybe vaguely, maybe unconsciously, secretly.
10 out of 10
4/10, and only for Mironov. And I’m not saying that the other actors played badly, no, just next to Mironov they look faded. That's a big difference. On the other hand, Evgeny has the same account ' In August 44th', very close on the subject.
Okay, don’t wash it like this: in addition to the actors in the series, there is also a director, there is an operator, there is a producer with his money, that is, the budget and, most importantly, there are some conclusions that you make for yourself in the process and after watching. I have no complaints about the second or third.
The first 4 episodes even caught me. Yes, there are incomprehensible when, Aki Stanislavsky, shouted ' I do not believe!!' watching how GG learned to fight in 10 minutes or when the general atmosphere in the series showed the wildest fear of ALL citizens before the NKVD (like half the country sits, half the country guards), but the general fantastic transformation of Cinderella into Princess was interesting to watch.
Then came the pianos. I will not go into details so as not to spoiler, but the plot cracked white threads.
And now about the conclusions: the hero is shown to be such a man without convictions, goals and aspirations, he just wants to calmly teach at school, sleep with his wife and raise someone else’s child. He's such an ordinary man. As a spectator, I am happy to watch when a hero is born from such a man in a critical situation. However, in the process, it is necessary to show motivation, because of what the template of the man cracked, you need to show the factors for which he is superior. There are no factors, no overcoming, the hero simply and without strain pulls on the mask of a venerable thief bear cub, all his torments were given 4 minutes, as far as I remember. The rest he takes calmly.
His wife was even more unlucky, perhaps everyone she meets wants to either fuck her or offend her in any way, because. In the series, in principle, a lot of these ' because'.
And, in fact, the third point, very tense in the process of viewing: sometimes it happens that there are no positive characters, because each person, everyone has his own motivation, everyone is right in something, and in something not, and you can decide for yourself how to relate to the character. Here almost all the characters by default are bad, cattle, sadists and other sodomites. Probably how fashionable it is lately, because they lived in the USSR. Otherwise we'll get another one because
In modern Russian cinema, a strange trend of showing films about the Great Patriotic War has arisen, where the great exploits of soldiers and the courage of the same scouts are pushed to the background along with the atrocities of the Nazis, giving way to the Red Terror & #39, which describes how, they say, half of the country sat and another half guarded, as a result of which it becomes unclear how we were able to win the war at all. So the painting of the Apostle, unfortunately, was no exception.
If you’re looking for a true war movie, you’re clearly wrong. There is no historical event or war in general. Moreover, if you show this creation to a person who is completely unfamiliar with the Second World War, he will understand from it this: ': The army, as such, did not exist in the USSR, there were only evil NKvdshniks who tortured, raped and killed for pleasure. The Germans, shown in the film and even more noble, they did not kill, but only put every second citizen of their own country in camps for nothing, and almost every first person who was not sitting was cattle. Here and sadists-Kvdshnik, and doctors-rapists, and many others' Should this be the opinion of the younger generation? Did you, me, and their grandparents do nothing but rape and murder? And those few people who did go to fight the invader, did it only because 'red cattle' kept them and their families at gunpoint, as happened to the main character?
It doesn’t matter which country to fight for. Notice that he does not kill a single German soldier in the entire film, but he shoots Soviet soldiers on a train without the slightest shudder. And if in the first series the main character can be at least a little empathetic, then as the plot develops, he becomes as disgusting a character as all the Soviets in this film, who, in the end, acts treacherously towards his homeland. That is, if the fascists had captured Pavel’s wife and daughter, he would have killed soldiers of the Red Army, because the film shows absolutely no motivation to fight for their country, simply because it is the Motherland, and not to be only under blackmail and the crosshairs of one of the parties.
Speaking of acting, it is safe to say that this role is not quite suitable for Mironov, but Fomenko, as I believe, played his character well, the rest of the roles were faded and unforgettable. To sum it up, the film was disappointing. And he was disappointed not so much by his plot (although the confusion with Heydrich seemed superfluous to me), but by his message and ideology. After all, it was not at such a price that victory was given to us, and it was not thanks to such people who do not know for whom it is more profitable to fight, that we were able to reach Berlin and destroy the evil whose name is fascism.
2 out of 10
Of course, I have long suspected that Evgeny Mironov is a genius, but as it turned out, this master has so many facets that they still open and open. And wonder. And admire, over and over again. How deeply, how subtly this man feels and reproduces any image! There is no limit to my respect and delight. I sincerely admired every facial phrase, every catchy look at the half-screen, every fleeting, inner movement. And this with all the pain, with all the heat and worry for the character. For all the vicissitudes and twists of the plot, you watch with a fading heart, believing to the very end: the hero can, the hero will reach...
As much as I don't like Fomenko, but here he should give credit. The image is complete, holistic, solid, reliable. It is worth admitting that the entire cast was selected flawlessly.
If to be clear, it is difficult for me to follow all possible inconsistencies in the plot and not all the details formed for me in a single puzzle, it is difficult for my female brain to grasp all the semantic knots and threads, but this did not prevent me from enjoying the viewing and gratefully accepting all that the film crew has worked on.
The last series takes the soul without a trace. And through the wrong prism of tears, the sunny halo of love seems so real and so possible again.
I can’t recommend it because there’s so much in the series:
1. I personally rewinded the line with Paul's wife. It is superfluous in the series and takes too much time. As a motivation of the main character, it is not necessary in principle. And love for the motherland - there is no such thing anymore? Only under the threat of murder did our relatives fight the Germans? Or at least that line could be cut ten times. That's my opinion. And the answer is one - the relationship of the actress with the producer.
2. Terrible unrealism. Everything. Two minutes is a master of martial arts. Three minutes is a bear cub. Are you kidding me? A thief in law is born.
3. I never understood Geldrich's logic. I won't spoil it, but you'll understand me by looking through it. If Heldrich knew from the beginning about the setup, why did he not act? That's fine, but the logic of Fomenko's character is also incomprehensible. At the end, he pronounces the phrase ' Operation such and such an express has come to a logical conclusion'. And this was all a planned operation? There's improvisation on improvisation. Every successful action of the Apostle is incredible luck. The probability of such a successful coincidence of circumstances cannot form the basis of the plan.
4. It doesn’t feel like there’s a war going on. No atmosphere.
The rest of the movie is not bad. Compared to 'Saboteurs' with the replaying Galkin in general a masterpiece. But it is very annoying unnecessary line with Paul's wife.
In human consciousness there is a potential, revealed by life, or requiring a shake. And the levers pressing and calculating it "differential" - Possibly with a person "stitch" any mask!!!
I just want to say that I became a fan of this movie after the first time I saw it. And no criticism, whether justified or not, nor repeated revisions have made me change my positive opinion about this TV product. It is difficult to remain indifferent when watching this tape. There are so many different genres in it that any viewer will find food. I would categorize the series as an interesting and exciting spy military historical action movie with elements of drama, detective, and even comedy.
The main highlight, despite the exciting and curious plot, is the sparkling acting. First of all, of course, Evgeny Mironov . His performance, as always, is beyond praise. Incredibly talented and believable, he managed to beat the reincarnations - 'there and back'. Recalling and evaluating all his most famous roles, in particular, in this series, in the TV series 'Idiot' in the film 'In August 44' or the performance of Canadian director Robert LepageHamlet. The collage, where all the roles of Shakespeare’s tragedy are played by one Eugene Mironov, can be called one of the best actors of our time, and not only in Russia. Sometimes it is possible to apply to his game such an immeasurable measure as genius. He certainly doesn't have passing roles. It is laid out on each project thoroughly, therefore, it is recognized by the audience. He's got no charisma. Nikolai Fomenko was also very surprised in a duet with Mironov. He wasn't inferior. I think that's his best role. It is impossible not to note the most convincing game Daria Frost. In principle, all the actors incredibly realistically showed their characters. And this is the main component of this teleproduct.
The second good component is, of course, the plot (scenario). Naturally, the audience is right, noting the absence of the military genre as such in the series. No, the whole narrative goes against the background of the Great Patriotic War, but somehow separately from it. War is like a background on which the history of a certain group of people is revealed. In fact, the main actions of the series unfold in several locations. There's no scale or scope. This is a kind of history of individual units of the belligerents, which (stories) were not few at that time. Here the genre of historical detective spy thriller is more suitable, without focusing on the word 'military'. The plot is really twisted. There are so many intricacies, conspiracies and actors that you don’t know who is your friend and who is your enemy until the end. A lot of subtleties and nuances, despite which, the viewer risks not understanding anything at the end. In general, this part of the series is also made for glory.
Also, the advantages of the project should include a well-recreated atmosphere of that difficult time. The entourage is convincing. In addition, the musical accompaniment complements the picture and makes you empathize with the heroes, forcing you to believe in all the soulfulness and tragedy of that time and people. Single notes played on the piano so believably conveyed the pain and suffering of people that it was impossible not to penetrate. Of the advantages, it is necessary to note also the necessary and interesting behind-the-scenes story of the main character, revealing the whole essence of his experiences and complementing the integrity of the picture for the viewer’s perception.
If we highlight some minor disadvantages of the series, then I would single out, of course, an implausible reincarnation in such a short period of time of the main character. To learn so much, and better professionals, is simply impossible. If you apply logic, not taking into account the cinematic world, I would explain it this way: Paul had, albeit to a lesser extent, but still the same potential as in the twin brother Peter. Therefore, it was easier for him to reincarnate than it would be for an outsider. Well, that's what I'm explaining to myself. Again, the narrative clearly demonstrates the brutality of Soviet power and law enforcement: arrests, beatings, shootings, etc. How to stimulate and force people 'dance to your tune' At the same time, the series shows that the authorities not only showed the people a whip, but also sometimes treated them with a carrot - various rewards for fulfilling their goals. In general, I did not find significant drawbacks in the series. I did not try to find them.
I myself always and tirelessly praise Soviet cinema, with which it is impossible to compare Russian. But thanks to such pictures, such an acting game (where even episodic roles are played out for a hundred), there is hope for the revival of those very Soviet principles and foundations in cinema.
According to tradition, a few memorable phrases: ' It is impossible to know everything, you just need to do your job well; In war, a well-fed person looks suspicious. The Germans screwed up - the war with Russia began; The largest tree grows longer than the others. The truth is above all law. And justice is above truth. And above justice, mercy... And even higher there is... - What could be greater than mercy? - Love!' Result: Personally, I consider this series one of the best in its genre, and in principle. All its components are well made and complement each other. And the famously twisted plot does not let go of the audience’s attention until the end of the 12th series. I would recommend the series to mandatory viewing. Personally, my browsing has become a regular May tradition!
Of course, all of the above is my subjective opinion!
P.S.: 'Life asks of us only what we can!' (k/f Prisoners)
P.S.2: 'War cannot be just, because you cannot fight justly, even if you fight for justice!' (Tadeusz Kotarbinski)
Watching this series for the first time in the year it was released, I was fascinated by it. As I thought at the time, it was a masterpiece. But recently, after reviewing this film for the second time, I changed my mind and now I can not judge so clearly.
The actors certainly deserve all the praise, both Mironov and Fomenko. Most of the cast members played well.
Questions are caused by the plot and presentation of material. As I said before, this film is not about war. It is about love, betrayal, faith, but not about the Great Patriotic War. The hero Fomenko constantly repeats that there is a war and a difficult time, but the plot does not feel this. War is not shown from the word “general.”
But intentionally, with a heavy leitmotif, the thought is stretched throughout the film that while some kind of war is going on somewhere there, the NKVD is waging war with the Soviet people here and now.
“Bloody Stalin’s executioners” are depicted as inhumane cattle, unlike educated Germans, who, although they shoot guilty cadets of the intelligence school, but do it somehow humanely, without mockery.
In the taverns of Berlin, only Russians, though traitors of the Motherland, are poached, and cultural Aryans laugh at them. Everyone drinks vodka, and the school teacher, and the librarian, and the captain of the NKVD, and exclusively with glasses.
If you discard the hatred of the directors for everything Soviet, the film turned out quite good.
I'll refrain from evaluating.
To be honest, I am not a fan of Russian TV series, and I watched them a little, I treated the Apostle with suspicion and thoughts about whether I would be interested in a domestic TV series. Gentlemen, I will tell you frankly, I was interested, but I was so interested that then I also walked away a few days from what was happening on the screen.
There were 3 people in the director’s chair. One of these people is Yuri Moroz (known to me from such paintings as Liquidation, Brothers Karamazov, I Stay). Doubts about what will be an ordinary movie about the second world war, no doubt, were, I thought, what can hook me tape about the war, when there are already dozens of such films. In order, what did I still hooked the film.
First of all, the acting game and the selection of actors in general. Evgeny Mironov suddenly revealed himself as a thief in law (although he is an intelligent person to the depth of his brain bones). In my opinion, no one could get so used to the role of a thief and a bandit. Especially to get used to the role of such a difficult hero, who has a complex life and emotional emptiness. But Mironov succeeded, he showed us a man who for the sake of love is ready for anything, not for the sake of his homeland, not for the sake of the people, but for the sake of love. The main character Mironov as a flower, opens up over time, at first he is harmless and cute, but then there are thorns and the flower becomes prickly and dangerous, and it happened to Pavel Istomin the main character of the film. Unprepared for anything, for the sake of his family, he subscribes to a death sentence, thereby proving that under the robe of a weak unfit for service person, a strong man of spirit and faith hides. In addition to Mironov, the film stars Nikolai Fomenko, who also revealed his hero. Fomenko plays Alexei Khromov Captain of the NKVD, who by his nature is a very complex person, he has a large past, which we learn in the course of the plot, complex relationships with all the people around him, except probably his mother, and in fact he is a very callous person who does not think about people suffering from his deeds, such a feeling that he has an ideology. Follow orders at all costs. In general, the role of Fomenko played perfectly, the other characters did not stand out so much, especially did not like the play of the female cast, Daria Moroz, in my opinion, is not at all suitable for the role of her heroine, she could not fully reveal the character, as they say. I don't believe it!
The second is the musical accompaniment. The music touched me so much that I still can’t forget it. All the musical compositions were undoubtedly excellent. In some moments, the music escalated the situation, in others gave the viewer a break from the passing on the screen and relaxed a little. It turned out great, unforgettable music that will remain in my memory for a long time.
My father Lenin, and my mother Nadezhda Krupskaya, And my uncle Kalinin Mikhail, We lived cheerfully on Red Square, Mustache Stalin came to us for lunch.
Thirdly, the plot. The plot tells how Soviet counterintelligence captures a German saboteur, a former Soviet criminal Peter Shchelkun. He dies trying to escape. The leadership of the NKVD, enlists his twin brother Pavel to perform a secret operation, using his complete resemblance to his brother. Paul passes the accelerated courses of the scout and goes under the nickname "Apostle" in the rear of the enemy - the sabotage school Abwehr in Smolensk. The plot turned out to be excellent, nonlinear turns confuse you in the web of what is happening, but with further viewing everything becomes on its shelves. Many moments make you think about being, about what importance in our life is the unruly, unbridled and truly powerful feeling of a person, Love!
As a result, an excellent series about scouts, betrayal, love, despair and, as Gennady Sidorov admitted, “about a man whose life is senselessly pressed and maimed by the insensitive millstones of stupid power.” I advise you to watch the film, since there are so few good domestic TV series, and the Apostle should interest you with his plot and excellent acting, against the background of which stunning music plays, it certainly will not leave you indifferent.
9 out of 10
The film leaves a mixed impression. On the one hand - a beautiful Mironov, who is accurate, bright, charismatic. It is worth watching “The Apostle” for him. On the other hand - a twisted plot, giving soap and built on solid giveaways. It is interesting to watch, but constantly haunts the feeling that you are being deceived. Everywhere there is a piano in the bushes.
Between the acting of Fomenko and Mironov an impassable chasm. Fomenko so the actor is not particularly significant, and against the background of Mironov at all. You can count the scenes where he was able to play. If Mironov, wearing a military uniform, in it as in his own skin, then Fomenko is not a NKVDist, but a simple dress-up. He simply could not take the image of the NKVD commissar.
You can see that the film is not little invested, the film is not cheap, and the directing and cinematography are good. But the plot is stitched with white threads.
I watched until the end solely because of Mironov's game. He's adorable everywhere.
An action-packed series with thoughtful intrigue, an excellent soundtrack and a successful duet - Mironov-Fomenko.
Against the background of the war there is an adventure and extremely dramatic story from the life of the rural teacher Istomin. It's not about war. It is not worth looking for patriotic, heroic motives in him. But the twisted intrigue is in excess. It would be a spy detective for the film, but the plot is woven with the personal story of Istomin and his exiled family.
We will take the unrealistic transformation of a teacher into a thief as an artistic convention. It's intriguing. Intrigues Mironov in this role, because he is one of those actors who brilliantly reincarnate. As always, Mironov is on top. Although I confess that in most of the scenes in the reincarnated Paul only his brother bandit. It was embarrassing. Mironov played an artistic and fearless man who seems not to worry about anything and is ready to risk everything. So there are many bright, memorable scenes. I especially remember the football scene in which Pavel, remaining in the image of a bear cub, acts at the risk of his own life to save several people. Here he's both Paul and Peter. It's a cool scene.
In the image of Khromov, the filmmakers sharpened the opposite human qualities. Let Khromov and counterrev, but not torn because of contradictions. In general, this technique makes the viewer doubt to the very end in the true intentions of Khromov in relation to Istomin and his family. That is, we want to believe that for the successful completion of the operation Istomin will return his life and his family. And that's certainly not true. Khromov is a charming, courageous and cruel person. And loving. A rattlesnake mixture.
Where did the forty-third infantry lie?
No use, no need,
There's a lot of hunting going on there.
A ranger's beating! - Alexander Galich.
The memory of war is not the same as monuments to the fallen. The existence of collective memory in time is not only impermanent, but also subject to metamorphosis, the results of which are not always favorable to us. If the memory of those who were in the war grew out of real horror and pain and was nourished by hatred and a powerful sense of truth, then the memory of their children has nourishment only vaguely immature memories and the stories of older people, fairly processed by imagination. The memory of grandchildren is already largely based on fiction and movies and requires a certain effort of feeling and imagination, but for great-grandchildren, patina-covered legends about the great war in their improbability and abstractness approach the newfangled genre of fantasy. And it should be considered luck, if these legends of antiquity of deep at least to some extent touch and interest the young tribe.
Such fading of the memory of the terrible trial of fire passed by our people is clearly visible in the example of cinema. The heroization of military everyday life in films shot in the first ten years after the war ("The Feat of the Scout", "Young Guard", "The Tale of a Real Man") was a kind of antiseptic for fresh wounds in people's memories. The soulfulness and soft lyricism of the paintings of the next decade (“Cranes Are Flying”, “The Ballad of the Soldier”, “Father of the Soldier”) is already a life-giving balm that heals gradually scarring wounds. In the cinema of the third decade, the transition to the mythologization of the history of the war (Major Whirlwind, Seventeen Moments of Spring) and at the same time anecdotalization of it (Zhenya, Zhenechka and Katyusha, Only "old men" go into battle), which meant, on the one hand, the recovery of the people's memory, and on the other - the transformation of the war into a true history.
But real fairy tales about the war appeared already in the new Russia, which seemed to have thrown off the shackles of a disgraced ideology. At a time when not a single string of the spectator’s heart was ringing at the mention of the great war, entertaining stories about spies, saboteurs and hunting them became popular (“In August 44”, “Star”, “Saboteur”). Only these spies and counterintelligence agents, no matter how brightly they were embodied by talented young actors, looked too much like comic book heroes or flat cardboard dolls, and in this respect they are very far from monumental, but so lively Tikhonov Stirlitz. In these films, the main thing was not the war, which fell somewhere in the background, and not human characters and relationships in the war, but only intrigue and Hollywood suspense. In fact, the war began to serve for filmmakers not even historical, but only operational material, from which it was required just to diversify the adventure genre. The viewer interested in war will experience from these films the inevitable disappointment.
To the inglorious cohort of such fairy tales of the new brothers Grimm belongs the “Apostle”, shot at different times as many as three directors. Everything is fabulous here: from a fairly gnawed and smelling old Shakespearean story about two twin brothers, whose life stitches-paths were bred in diametrically opposite directions, to the miraculous transformation of a rotten intelligent woman, a slutty-glassed nerd, into an all-knowing special agent with iron nerves; from an incredible hunt for an elusive unicorn, whose name for some reason resembles the distorted surname of one famous obergrenführer, who open up to a fantastic head. There is only the truth - neither historical, nor psychological, nor vital, none - even such as is contained in the hint that makes a fairy tale useful for good fellows.
Screenwriter Oleg Antonov was clearly inspired by Akunin’s creations, with which he is related by a wild, unrestrained rampant fantasy, complete disregard for historical and simply life realities and an installation on the outrage of the reader / viewer. However, in the dynamics of the plot unfolding, Antonov is obviously inferior to his idol: a good half of the series is devoted to the endless trainings of the future special agent, shown in detail all the more unjustified that it remains incomprehensible from which such an indomitable will and animal grip could take place in yesterday’s enthusiastic romance. The viewer is trying to convince that the fear of the hero for his family, the desire to save the lives of his loved ones was enough motive to create the impossible. But it is doubtful that even today’s schoolchildren, firmly aware of the absence of miracles in life, will believe this. However, it is necessary to be fair to modern writers, because they have a clear goal - to make the viewer interesting, to capture his bored attention and not to let go longer. And let everything else burn in blue flame, including life with miracles.
It is worth noting that actors Nikolai Fomenko and Evgeny Mironov perform the main roles well, and Mironov, as usual, even perfectly. The charismatic face of the big-headed Fomenko, playing a dedicated enkavedeshnik, and the unusually plastic image of the hardworking Mironov as a school teacher who became James Bond, is the only thing worth watching this film for. Despite the lack of clear directing and at least some plausible script, quality acting can please fans of these artists. Although, of course, the squalor of the idea and the plot and the disappointment caused by this inevitably transfer to the images of the heroes and the actors whose talents deserve much more. Well, even for actors, luck in the face of smart producers and creative directors does not always come.
That's what matters. Such fairy tales without morality are not only useless, but they bring undoubted harm. Relating to military history abstractly and indifferently, using it exclusively as scenery, framing the riot of author’s imagination, the current butterflies-one-day movies create in the immature mass consciousness an absolutely false image of war. War is a kind of game: who outsmarts whom, or whose personal charisma is brighter. Let us leave the pain and suffering, the love for the Motherland, the inhuman tension of forces to our grandfathers and great-grandfathers, because now we are only interested in the competition of personalities. And the smaller the individual, the more he wants to compete with others as small. It is not surprising that such a trifle is already frankly stating: why it was necessary to fight seventy years ago, if you surrendered to the Germans, you would now live happily! If the Germans attacked now, who would rise up to defend Russia? It’s too damn hard to defend your country. It's better to have fun. Fun time, business... and why is it, business?
The film is very difficult to perceive. I had to look at it twice to understand what was going on. War, politics, detective story, steeply intertwined with the acutely naked emotional and psychological life of the characters of the film. And all this without comments and discussions, only the real course of events. Perhaps we are weaned from such pictures, or not rarely see a real movie. I believe that what makes a person strain all his brain gyruses, touches some closed deep soul strings, causes a response.
The apostle is a topic for deep reflection on the omnipotence of man, the complexity and incomprehensibility of human destiny in the moral and living space. This is a bold departure of the filmmakers from decades of stereotypes about the black and white past. In which, thanks to propaganda, we saw only heroes and traitors, invaders and liberators. And there were and are people, with all their shortcomings and weaknesses, and before each of them.
The choice was to become a Jew or an apostle.
I understand the idea of the film, I explain its title, and so I feel.
magnificent performance of Evgeny Mironov, Nikolai Fomenko and other wonderful actors.
9 out of 10
Excellent, in my opinion, the film, one of those that I want to periodically review, and with no less pleasure than the first time, despite the seriality.
After the last Victory Day, I watched all, little worth of TV series and “full meters” about the Great Patriotic War, concluded that there are very few really good modern films on this topic, to say the least. “The Apostle” I would call one of our best series in general.
Personally, I was hooked by the story of Pavel Istomin. The drama and tragedy of the situation he finds himself in, a humble, intelligent teacher and his family. I will not say that I am surprised, but certainly do not leave indifferent the metamorphoses that occur to a person when he is faced with the harsh realities of life.
Separately, I will note the process of Istomin’s transformation from a vain “glassglass” to a recidivist thief, without the slightest signs of conscience, this is one of the highlights of the film, and given that Evgeny Mironov plays it... I think everyone understands what I am about – it is better to look at it once than read any comments, you can talk about the game of this actor for hours, and only good.
In principle, said everything, the film is exciting, interesting, intriguing. The game of the main character is great, the others also played quite decently. I don’t think the Apostle will leave many indifferent.
9 out of 10
Unfortunately, there are not so many serious, really significant films on the account of Russian cinema. Not only the remarkable performance of the actors, but also, most importantly, the exciting plot, determine the "Apostle" on the top shelf of the gold collections. Of course, the game of Evgeny Mironov is the nail of the picture. There are very few actors who completely get used to their characters, live with them and die with them. Calling it a game is at least low and unfair. No game, just life.
What about the war? War of war... betrayal, deception, lies. If you cheat yourself, you will not immediately realize that you are in this heap of d... And first of all, the Motherland itself kills the one who fought, endured everything in its name. They sailed and abandoned – for centuries the established principle will always have the relevance of its manifestation.
Few movies make you think long after watching. I hope that I will be able to put many other paintings that I have not yet seen on a par with the Apostle.
The undoubted advantage of this film is that it delays almost immediately and fully withstands intrigue, you want to watch it. A vivid impression is left by Fomenko, for whom the image of the investigator is unusual, but everything looks appropriate, the hero turned out to be charming and extraordinary. Evgeny Mironov at the height, with the role of twins, completely diverse, Peter (thief in law) and Paul (intellectual teacher). Brilliantly entered both images, thought deeply and felt every detail, every look, gesture.
The background of the development of action is the great Patriotic war, and more specifically, the war of intelligence. Here the background is not of fundamental importance and any military action would fit perfectly.
Quite interestingly, the title is played, which refers to the first two apostles - Peter and Paul, also two opposite characters, as in the film. Peter is charming, not spoiled by excessive education, but smart, dexterous, a leader in essence, knows how to live so that the world revolves around him, does not serve anyone seriously, except for his own interests. Paul is a well-educated, gentle, sensitive, with a flexible mind, an excellent analyst.
As the plot develops, parts of the story about the apostles slip into conversations: Father Paul (Christ told the fishermen brothers to follow me), Khromov (what ended the story? martyrdom).
Both stories take place under dictators - Emperor Nero - Stalin - Hitler.
Thus, Paul’s path can be seen to some extent as a path to faith, which he finds through trials.
I liked the music, very funny sounds in the performance of Peter “my father Lenin...” a good hint, Lenin quite rightly can be considered the father of thieves in law, they appeared after the revolution, and it was his regime that raised them and nurtured them, opposing politically undesirable.
"fire beats in a close sting" at the conversation of Pavel and Khromov - emphasizes the destruction of fates; separation of mothers with children, universal orphanage, including the country; the life of the whole people in an era that fell under the wheel of totalitarianism and war.
I liked all sorts of seditiousness towards the MGB, for example, a simple gesture made of vegetables.
Quite a lot is given in the film easily understandable hints (suicide of a German - the collapse of Germany).
The plot of course, the scriptwriters famously twisted, it is quite difficult to unravel this tangle of events, even despite the ring composition, I do not know on purpose or just so happened.
The final was not fully understood, is it a mirage or a reality? With Fomenko, too, not everything is clear, it is surprising that he was rehabilitated, for even Solzhenitsyn wrote that there is no way back from the camps, the investigation cannot be mistaken. But in general, we can admit, given the surreal nature of what is happening.
Against the background of other series, the Apostle looks advantageous, he is dynamic, captures attention from the first frames, at the heart of an interesting idea, the intrigue persists until the end, it is difficult to understand a friend or an enemy; the directors managed to convey the spirit of the time well, there is a certain philosophical understanding; despite the fact that some disadvantages are still there - the tangle of plot lines is not fully unraveled, there are roughness and some inconsideration in general. Beria is shown by some adequate and pathetic evidence that the imho does not correspond to reality.
But for the exciting plot and pleasure of watching,
The Apostle is a Russian TV series that shows a secret operation by the NKVD during the Great Patriotic War.
I really liked this series. I have it on DVD and I watched it in 4 days. I couldn’t get off the screen and watched series after series! Interesting series, with a good script, acting, an interesting plot.
Plot. 1942. Moscow. The NKVD gets a German saboteur. This is a Russian thief, bear cub, named Shchelkun, who did not have time (or did not want) to escape from the occupied territory. He tells everything the NKVD people know, and they want to lure him to their side. When they almost succeeded, the Shchelkun (real name - Peter Istomin) manages to escape. But the NKVDshnik, contrary to the order “do not shoot!”, shoots the criminal and kills the Nutcracker. But NKVD captain Khromov finds a way to continue the operation. He sends for Paul Istomin, Peter’s twin brother.
Actors. Eugene Mironov. The Apostle is the first film I’ve seen with this wonderful actor. His characters are recidivist thief Peter Istomin, nicknamed the Nutcracker, and Pavel Istomin, a village school teacher, the twin brother of the Nutcracker. Eugene amazingly, magnificently, perfectly played these two completely different characters, he entered the role of each character for all 100! Eugene very realistically and believably played and dashing criminal Shchelkun, and a simple village teacher Pavel Istomin. His acting is the main advantage of the series. I think Evgeny Mironov is one of the best actors of modern Russian cinema.
Nikolai Fomenko. His hero is NKVD captain Alexei Khromov. Khromov is a Chekist, he always knows how to “talk” a detainee, but he will never resort to cruel measures if the situation can be resolved humanely. Good psychologist. Captain Khromov is an experienced scout who knows German and can be relied upon. He will never give secret information to either the NKVD or the Gestapo. He has a bride whom he visits in the camp, but cannot take her away from there, as he is "only" captain, and for turning things like this is a low rank. Lesha also loves her mother. This is a strong, reliable, not afraid to go deep into the territory of the enemy. Excellent acting by Koli Fomenko.
I also want to highlight Daria Moroz (Lida), Yuri Nazarov (Major of the NKVD Demin, a friend of Khromov), Andrei Smirnov (Alexei Istomin, father of Peter and Paul). Alexander Bashirov came into the role well (Dushin; with his appearance - a natural Russian defector who sold the Motherland for food, water and money). Also well played Larisa Malevanna (Khromova Evgenia Tikhonovna, the mother of captain Khromov), Sergei Bystritsky (NKVDshnik Shapovalov).
I also liked the opening credits, Darin Sysoyev’s music for the opening and final credits.
The Apostle is an interesting series with an unpredictable ending.