The Eastern Front

source: The Eastern Front

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.

As someone who knew a number of the reenactors who were extras in this film, initially I was excited. Seeing the BTS and promo photos, the final battle scene looked promising. However the finished film was mediocre at best. Being on the eastern front it was a refreshing look at the second world war, and being an English speaking film about the eastern front, it sounded promising. However the story was not influenced at all by its setting or the unique challenges posed by the eastern front. The film could have been set anytime, any theatre, any place and it still would have been the same story. The actors accents were jarring to listen to as they couldn't seem to decide whether they were English, American or some strange Eastern European hybrid accent. The combat scenes were well executed. One redeeming feature was the uniforms, which were possibly amongst the most accurate I've seen.

Unfortunately this movie exhibits all the normal amateurish flaws that result when a movie is written, produced and directed by the same person. A lot of hard work, time and expense wasted in a final product which should never have been released in its current state.

This film start with a series of explosion occur, and a soldier "Theo" save by a bunch of soldiers into a truck scene! As turnout, this film is about a bunch of German soldiers taken a bunch of Russian nurses as the hostages to save their soldiers, and the Russian nurses eventually planning to escape from the German soldiers! Entire film full of boring conversation, and annoying overuse scene! Such as, overuse of the slow motion walking scene, and overuse of the blackout scene! Make the film unwatchable! The shooting scene have blood at certain point, but overall portray by sideways! Quite frustrated to watch! The explosion scene in the film also, overall just saw the smoke, never show hitting the opponent! Barely intense scene is, a Russian nurse's father shot on the head by a German soldier! At the end, Theo save by the escape Russian nurse! That's it! Wasting time to watch!

This movie is just entertainment. It is not based on any actual event except a band of Germans soldiers retreating from the Russian offensive. The opening minutes I found immediately off-putting, to have the Germans and Russians speaking "the Queens English", but when the commanding officer speaks revealing an American accent.... that sets the distraction for the rest of the movie. The "Lieutenant" as he appears throughout the movies (unsure which actor that is) has an accent that in opening scenes sounds American and then as the movie progresses, seems to fluctuate between Welsh, British and American. While movies such as "Enemy at the Gates", where the actors spoke in their own country of origin accents, the accents were not off-putting as throughout their lines, words of the characters language are mixed in their speech. For example, in this movie, the Germans are saying "$hit" while if they said the German, "$cheissen", this would give the viewer the impression "I am German". Neal Ward who plays Sergeant Bruno Guize has a quite profound northern English accent. The Russians again had English accents and not even the term "Comrade" was used to indicate "I am Russian". I think even a poor attempt at a German accent would have been an improvement so as not have the strong and varied English accents so distracting. As the Germans retreat in this movie, the obvious lush grassland and heavily wooded forests show that this is not the geography of the real German retreat which was in reality, mass destruction and "scorched earth". This movie does not indicate where they are retreating from, but given the apparent decimation of the Germans, this would have actually been in Winter of 1943/44. There is no snow in this movie nor indication of cold weather. Clearly the vegetation shows Spring or Summer. I am confident this was actually filmed in rural UK somewhere. Visual Authenticity is strong in this movie. Genuine restored vehicles from the era, correct weapons and the uniforms are correct... except that the Russians are wearing winter uniforms and the Germans standard summer uniforms. Tactical authenticity is lacking.... many times we see the Germans in close formation while a threat is imminent or while under attack... They should be spread out thinner as would have been the case in reality. The other is bunching up together and lighting up cigarettes while the scout/point member checks out something unusual. That would never have happened in reality. Just one well placed grenade or mortar would have killed the lot, not withstanding the cigarettes to give away their position. As these Germans are in retreat of the portrayed advancing enemy, watch them amble along in the forest at a slow pace is akin to a family taking a casual stroll after a picnic. My Overall Opinion of the movie - I feel that the interaction of characters in the actual catastrophic retreat and defeat of the Germans is not at all portrayed in this movie. I would say it is "hinted at" but not depicting. I felt that the hostile interactions between the Germans as they retreated were not amplified sufficiently to show that they were falling apart as was the case in actual history. The quality of acting I would not say was bad, but maybe refer to it as very ordinary. I did not think much at all of the camera work... seemed more akin to walking around holding hand-held digital cameras. I thought the script and dialogue overall could have been much better. Overall, I watched in through the end and would not at all say it was a bad movie and not disappointed for having sat through it. An Award Winning movie it is not, but I would not be quick to call it a B-grade movie. If you want to kill an hour or so with not much else to do, this won't disappoint you, but I would not recommend that you go out of your way to watch it. I give it 4 stars, but maybe a bit generous.

Don't worry about odd accents (or lack of them), don't worry about uniforms of dubious accuracy, don't worry about much of any other complaint. The simple fact is that this movie is, quite simply, boring. The 'dramatic' sequences would be better served in a mid-day soapie or straight to TV movie from Hallmark, such is the acting involved. The tension, drama, etc one might expect from the scenario simply isn't there and the predictable end is as worthless as the rest of it all. Unfortunately, this movie is testament to the fact that you may own some uniforms or vehicles, you may have a bunch of friends who are keen to help you and you may own a camera, but this doesn't mean that you can act, direct or even attempt to produce something worth watching and when you attempt to do all of that on a shoe-string budget, it shows.

I was a shoe-in to like this... I'm fascinated by the Eastern Front in WW2. I don't know if it's the screenwriting or the cheesy acting or both, but man. Can't recommend witg less enthusiasm.

I personally liked this film. For me it had it all. The locations are beautiful. The acting it good. The uniforms, the guns, the battle scenes ect. Alot of people are complaining about the German soldiers. Mostly having British accents. And an American accent. The point has been missed I'm afraid. My theory is that it actually served the film. By giving the Germans, British/American accents. You actually humanise them. The Nazis during WW2. They were the bad guys, they did evil things. But by doing that in this film. You remember them in a different way. They were still human beings. There are also some very powerful and emotional moments. I won't spoil it, give it a chance. This film is well written. Well acted. And looks stunning in places. People need to have some patience. And don't be so quick to bash films like this. Just because it never had a tank in it 😂 It's not all about blood guts, and explosions. There is more to the story than that. See it all the way through. Give it a chance. Pay attention. There is a message in this film. Good film.

GOOD MOVIE NEEDS MORE MOVIE LIKE THIS. BUT THE RUSSIANS AND GERMANS HAD THE SAME ACCENT.