A raid by Russian soldiers on a house in the Caucasus yields a surprising find - a young crippled local boy with a mine and a hammer. The soldiers stare in disbelief as the lad bashes away at the mine with all his might before deciding it is best to scarper. In true cinematic style, the house dramatically explodes behind them, as they make their escape. Although they have survived this attempt to kill them, they are not out of trouble yet; the locals are rather of the opinion that the Russians were responsible for the blast, and a riot ensues. In calming the crowd, a woman and a local police commander get shot, and it is clear that the case will be investigated. Whilst the enquiry takes place, the soldiers are posted to a far-off and inhospitable border checkpoint, and this is where the conflict really flares up.<...>
Andrew J Horton www.ce-review.org
