The Turkish Gambit (2005)

I gave 2 points out of ten, and those 2 points for visual effects, technique and colorful costumes. The rest? Crap. I don't know how to describe it...maybe like 1960s' James Bond movies, childish. What they call "historic events" is just a plot, a scene for the movie, nothing to do with real historic events as the movie does not have such a purpose....The maps are just a decoration, which really look good, but again unreal. That is OK, but why do they try so hard in the advertisements and so on to show it as a "historic movie" And if the movie is really an action movie, why do they depict Turks not only as villains, but also ugly and stupid? In many scenes Turks stumble and fall! They cannot run, they cannot hold a gun properly and fire! If we were in 1930s maybe we would laugh....But now, it felt disgusting. Heyy, look around guys, finance is just a prerequisite for making films, it shouldn't be the film itself. (((

First I have to ask. Why Studio Tritey loves to hate Russians? I know it is in Russia, but each movie is about horrifying deaths of Russians. This self-hate is not healthy.Russians have to be the biggest idiots in the whole movie, except for Fandorin and Suvorova every other Russian character is either a traitor or an idiot. In reality Russian Forces were far more intelligent and imaginative during the Russo-Turkish War then the movie suggests. The Russian Army outsmarted the Turkish Army when it crossed the Danube at night catching the enemy with their guard down and seizing Russia's 1st victory of the war.Do the writers wish the Turks won the war? Do they sympathize with the Ottoman Empire? If not, then why do the Turks seem like Military geniuses while the Russians look like morons? Osman Pasha's Envoy carries out deadly raids into Russian camps without much opposition. I was very disappointed. I hope 1st Channel never puts its name next to Studio Tritey again.

Turetskii gambit contains all of the elements of a great film. The acting is underplayed. The cinematography is perfection itself. The colors are muted in concert with the drama itself. One can only desire an extension of the romantic relationship with Yegor Beroyev himself and his lovely sweetheart. There are very dramatic moments including the duel on the pier. The snow scenes are reminiscent of "Dr. Zhivago". I can highly recommend this picture for those romantics at heart. Alexander Pushkin would be proud to see this serious play in cinematic form. It is now in DVD format with excellent soundtrack and special features. This is one not to miss.

The advertising campaign for this movie in Russia was huge! Even more tremendous than for another Russian blockbuster - Nochnoi Dozor. But wait a second... What was the fuss all about? I really wanted to like this one, but... alas! I couldn't.I was looking forward to see a really epic movie with the matching atmosphere, but what I got was nothing, but some kind of a pretty weird interpretation of the war. The disappointment from this film is very similar to the one after watching Cold Mountain.The acting was good & deserves nothing, but praise. But what the hell is with the story? The whole Russian camp looks like a circus, some scenes are absolutely irrelevant, reminding me some stuff from dumb Wild Wild West movie & the scene with the air-balloon is one of the most ridiculous ever! But the main problem is... predictability! I knew who the spy was long before the end of the film! To tell you the truth, I really wanted to leave, but decided to stay & see if I was right in my guessing. Needles to say, I was.