Plot
A documentary that tells the story of the Soviet Union's famed Red Army hockey team through the eyes of its captain, Slava Fetisov.
Release Year: 2014
Rating: 7.8/10 (280 voted)
Critic's Score: 82/100
Director: Gabe Polsky
Stars: Vyacheslav Fetisov, Scotty Bowman, Anatoli Karpov
Storyline
Red Army is a feature documentary about the Soviet Union and the most successful dynasty in sports history: the Red Army hockey team. Told from the perspective of its captain Slava Fetisov, the story portrays his transformation from national hero to political enemy. From the USSR to Russia, the film examines how sport mirrors social and cultural movements and parallels the rise and fall of the Red Army team with the Soviet Union.
Cast: Scotty Bowman -
Himself
Vyacheslav Fetisov -
Himself
Anatoli Karpov -
Himself
Alexei Kasatonov -
Himself
Ken Kurtis -
(voice)
Felix Nechepore -
Himself
Vladimir Pozner -
Himself
Tatiana Tarasova -
Herself
Vladislav Tretiak -
Himself
Country: USA, Russia
Language: English, Russian
Release Date: 23 January 2015
Technical Specs
Runtime:
User Review
Author:
Rating: 10/10
I was aware of the hype surrounding Red Army since Cannes this year.
However, the fact that I knew so little about hockey cast doubt on
whether it's worth to see or not. Stellar ratings and reviews on IMDb
and Rotten Tomatoes eventually convinced me to see it at AFI Fest last
week...and I was totally blown away by it. For starters, hockey is
still the main theme here. However, it's not the only dominant element.
Gabe Polsky utilized hockey to explore many facets of life such as
family, friendship, politics, and patriotism. Furthermore, he found the
perfect, complex main character in Slava Fetisov to build the narrative
around. Depicted as a poster boy for the Red Army, Fetisov emotionally
exposed individual and collective struggles of being a member of the
USSR athletic system whilst uncovering the direct link to a larger
force at work behind it that is Soviet government. There's no flat
moment and it kept me entertained from start to finish. The fact that
it has garnered serious Oscar buzz before widely released shows that
Red Army is a must-see documentary, whether you're a hockey fan or not.
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