Kirpianuscus Bogdan Stupka. in fight to create a credible Taras. a literary gem. who becomes a political tool. that is all. the film has a lot of sins but the basic problem is the ambition to create a Hollywood blockbuster as support for the Kremlin 's interest. the fragile beauty of the book is lost. the Kozaks becomes Russian puppets. the Pole society is victim of a Manicheism who not convince and not impress. the entire story becomes an aggressive political speech. sure, many historical films from the East Europe are illustrations of the same recipes. but under the Communism regime. and the delicate problem is to transform Ukraine in a part of Russia, to use special effects for ignore the senses of book, to destroy a noble idea for a not real decent result. short, a Russian story. full of nationalism. and not convincing . useful for a kind of public . and not more that.

STALKER This propaganda movie is a weapon in Russia's informational war against Ukraine and Ukraine's history... Peter the First had stolen Kievan Rus' name (by renaming Moscovia to Russia in 1721) and now Putin is trying to steal Ukraine's history...1) Cossacks where UKRAINIANS.2) They spoke UKRAINIAN language.3) They did NOT fight for "Russia".4) They fought against occupants (including Moscow's occupants).In first edition of Mykola Gogol's "Taras Bulba" (1835) there where NO "Russia"-words, but everywhere where "Ukraine" instead. "Russia"-words appeared later (in 1842' edition) through PRESSURE of Moscow's censorship. But Bortko intentionally makes this movie based on that (1842's) edition.THIS MOVIE IS A FAKE !!!PS. Sorry for my English :)

Tony Heck "May they all know what brotherhood means on Russian soil." The true account of Taras Bulba (Stupka), a Ukraine Cossack who helped to defend his homeland from the Poles in the 16th century. This is one of the best foreign movies that I have seen. The movie opens with a "Braveheart" like speech, then we flash back to what got him in that position. The movie then begins to take shape and tries to cover every conceivable aspect it can. Love story, fighting, father/son tension, and the quest for freedom. Much like as in "Saving Private Ryan" the movie is bookended by very intense fighting scenes. This is another movie that is not meant for queasy viewers. The torture scene toward the end makes the "Braveheart" one seem tame. There is so much in this movie and I could go on and on about the aspects of why I liked it, but it's best to just watch it and see for yourself. Very, very well done. Overall, a fantastic foreign movie that has some of the most intense battle scenes I have seen in a long time. I give it an A-.Would I watch again? - I might, but not for awhile.*Also try - Agora & Braveheart

JazzGott I can't really remember when was the last time I've actually watched something so poor. I'm not even gonna start on the plot and the Cossac mentality as it is a separate matter (like blaming the enemy army for defeating the regiment that was entirely drunk {sic!})So let's concentrate on the actual movie features... Picture: Narrow shots only, Special effects like in Braindead, Polish troops in Spanish conquistadors' helmets, The castle... they didn't even try to make it look properly...Sound: The whole thing sounds like from an old cassette. Sounds are so bad it actually makes you laugh, Silenced pistol sounds from James Bond imitating musket shots, Poles cursing in a very modern language,The whole thing is just... poor. miserable. There is no tension, no nothing. It's just watching some guys run throughout the set repeating stuff about Matushka Russia and Orthodox church. Actually every character repeats the bloody sentence just before dying "So good to be dying for Russia and orthodox church"... It actually reminds me soviet cinema where deadly wounded characters were giving speeches about the advantages of living in Soviet Union or something close to it in abstractness...Forgive me please being as chaotic and poor as "Taras Bulba" - it's my first time...