The Beast

Rating:
Summary: Historical is topical again
Review: As others have said the movie is excellent I cannot add to their comments. Looking back on the war and the events of 9/11 I can't help but wish that the Russians never left Afganistan. The movie is surprisingly topical again as we may have Abrams running in the tracks of T-62s soon enough.

Rating:
Summary: PERFECT, Just Perfect!!
Review: WAR movies are the most entertaining movies of all time, this movie lets you live with it in every scene and in every move, it has many smart moves that you enjoy them every time you watch THE BEAST.I gave it 4 stars because there are scenes and moves that weren't that accurate as it should be and there are scenes that makes you feel they're not real.Last word i wanna say this movie is SOLID as a ROCK.
Highly Recommended for War/History Movie Lovers.
It's a Must See War movie and one of the best war movies out there in addition to Saving Private Ryan, The Thin Red Line, We Were Soldiers, and many others, but those are a TOP NOTCH...The Special Features weren't good enough for a Blockbuster movie, the features were few and not interesting, because of that it doesn't deserve a 5[stars] (Worth Every Penny of your $MONEY$)
Bon Apetite..BaBy :o)

Rating:
Summary: The Best
Review: This is the best war film out there. I only saw it once while it was on A&E last year during the early morning. It was just incredible. If you havent seen this movie, do it, you'll watch it over and over, cause its that damn good. The Beast is The Best.

Rating:
Summary: fantastic flick
Review: I've got nothing new to say about this movie that other reviewers haven't written, but I must say I LOVED this movie. I like the war movies, and this is one of the best and most underrated war movies anywhere. A gripping account of not only the Russian/Afghanistan conflict, but also puts war itself under the microscope. What are they fighting for? Why is any of this necessary? What is the point of any of it? These points are all made by the end of the film, but not directly told to you like some other movies by more famous directors(SAVING PRIVATE RYAN), rather they are subtly slipped into the plot and dialogue. Outstanding film, a real shame this is a wholly overlooked movie. This film and "When Trumpets Fade," an HBO original film about the WW2 battle at Hunt's forest, the most underrated war movies ever.

Rating:
Summary: Russia's Vietnam
Review: The Beast is definitely one of the best war films out there. Comparable to both Platoon and Saving Private Ryan, The Beast is a shocking film set in the Russian war in Afghanistan. This film is centered on the struggle between the Russian tank crew and the Mujahadeen rebels. Lost in the burning desert, the tank crew are trying to get back to base alive, while the Mujahadeens are hunting the tank down for revenge. Extremely realistic, violent, and sometimes touching, The Beast is clearly one of the best war movies out in the shelves.

Rating:
Summary: WOW!
Review: I will spare you the story line since all the other reviews here tell you plenty, what I will tell you is my story. Well I first saw this movie when I was in the ARMY (1987) stationed at Fort Irwin California, my job was to be a Russian soldier and fight our own visiting troops. We used some real Russian tanks but mostly mocked up Russian looking tanks. Well back then this movie made it ALL around the dorm rooms and every one loved it. After two years of searching I finally was able to purchase it, I found it on the internet. I have owned it for the last 4 years now. It' now makes it's way around my work. (Armored Car Company) and once again every one loves it. So why oh why is it not on DVD????? but of course attack of the killer tomatoes is on DVD! go figure. If you find this movie and haven't seen it, Rent it! or buy it if you can. it's that good. Forget about the complaints that the tank crew spoke perfect english, hell I just took that as meaning I understood Russian for the duration of the film! That's a gimmie if I ever seen one, oh yes no REAL Russian helicopter, well heck with all the other accurate equipment I can't fault them for not getting a real Russain helecopter. Back then it was a miracle that they actually got the real tank for the movie!

Rating:
Summary: Review for 'The Beast'
Review: I've seen this movie several times on various cable movie channels, and I think it's pretty good. It was a bit disconcerting listening to the Soviets speaking english and not even getting sub-titles for the Mujahadeen's dialogue, but the action and plot made up for it. There is some very brief nudity, as well as violence and profanities, so you may want to cover the kiddie's eyes & ears at some points, like when the tank commander orders the driver to run over the rebel, and later on when the driver pulls the man's severed hand from the tank's treads. It's also a good depiction of Soviet combat tactics, save for the lack of numbers involved, and that the tankers didn't have infantry support (Soviets occasionally tend to have infantry riding on the hulls & turrets of tanks instead of bringing them in by truck or Armored Personnel Carrier.) While they did use a number of real Russian weaponry in this movie, suck as the AK-47 assault rifles and the RPG, and the T-62 tanks, (not T-55's, as some have said), they got a bit sloppy with the helicopter, as it doesn't match any Soviet military helicopter I've seen, save maybe for the Mi-8 'Hip', and even then theres quite a few differences. Aside from these problems, I found this movie quite enjoyable.

Rating:
Summary: Propaganda Was Never So Entertaining
Review: Make no mistake about it, this is revisonist history, however it can be darned entertaining while you sift through the nonsense. The film involves a Soviet tank crew in Afganistan that becomes lost in the desert. The crew includes a determined commander who as a youth witnessed WWII, a somewhat bumbling Afgan advisor that the commander is sure is selling them out, a talented but near psychotic gunner, a very unusure of himself young man, and the driver who is about to 'go native' and join the other side as the desert and the detail lend to his confusion. Sometimes the dialogue is totally ridiculous, such as the driver telling the commander they are like the Nazis of WWII. However the life inside a tank is so vividly portrayed that this film is worth a look. George Dzundza is great as the commander so obsessed with his tank that when the crew has the chance to be brought back to safety in a helicopter Dzundza decides they should navigate their way back in the tank using only half a map because if they leave it behind it will be destroyed in an air strike so as not to fall into Afgan rebel hands. If you can get past the propaganda you'll enjoy the tank ride. Great for military buffs, bad for historians.

Rating:
Summary: Best depiction of infantry versus Armor
Review: I love this movie because its the best film depiction of the strengths and weaknesses of tanks and infantry. I would play this tape to every Soldier in the U.S. Army along with Saving Private Ryan the first day of basic training to get them THINKING about the modern battlefield and not running around like scared little robots/sheep. The tank has immense firepower as the rebels learn that are hunting it, but its also in many ways blind. The rebels exploit this as the tank away from escorting infantry has only its crew to act as close-in security. The portrayal of "tank boy" by George Dzundza as a true believer in the tank is amazing, every problem he encounters he has a tank solution; he expresses the tanker mentality at its most extreme form, and that the film shows that it has limits is very enlightening.

Rating:
Summary: Beauty in the Beast
Review: This is one of the most beautiful movies of any kind I have ever seen. The imagery and symbolism are devastating. I have been wanting to see it again for several years, and am uplifted by all the positive reviews it has gotten here.