Ushanka, mafia and cranberries: 21 western films about Russians

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

The life hacker recalls the images of our compatriots in foreign films with an IMDb rating of at least 6, 4.

Western filmmakers love stories about Russians since the Cold War, but more often than not, the images are overly stereotyped. There are exceptions, though.

1. Bourne Supremacy

• USA, 2004.
• Action, crime, thriller.
• Duration: 108 minutes.
• IMDb: 7, 8.

The Russian killer sets up, leaving his prints on an explosive device. The CIA begins to pursue its former agent, who is trying to find the real criminal who tried to kill him too.

A series of events brings Jason Bourne to Moscow, where he finds himself on a fake passport, in which his name is written in Russian letters as "Foma Kiniaev, typed in the Russian layout." There he even manages to arrange races in a Volga car.

2. Vice for export

• UK, Canada, 2007.
• Thriller, drama.
• Duration: 100 minutes.
• IMDb: 7, 7.

A Russian teenage girl dies in childbirth in a London hospital. Midwife Anna (Naomi Watts) finds the diary of the deceased and learns that the mafia was tricked out of her homeland by representatives of the mafia. Attempts to understand the fate of the girl lead to real thieves in law who settled in the UK.

The director of the film tried to portray the Russian mafia as realistically as possible. For this, the actor Viggo Mortensen specially visited Russia, and he was copied from the "Encyclopedia of Russian Criminal Tattoos."

3. Armory Baron

• Germany, USA, France, 2005.
• Drama, crime film, thriller.
• Duration: 122 minutes.
• IMDb: 7, 6.

The descendants of Russian émigrés, Yuri and Vitaly Orlovs (Nicolas Cage and Jared Leto), decide to start selling weapons. Their business is going uphill, and Yuri becomes a real arms baron. But the Interpol agent is getting closer and closer to him.

Interestingly, Jared Leto does indeed have Russian roots. And he knows a lot of interesting phrases. True, most of them are obscene.

4. The enemy is at the gate

• USA, Germany, Great Britain, Ireland, 2001.
• Action, thriller, drama, military, historical.
• Duration: 130 minutes.
• IMDb: 7, 6.

In the midst of the Battle of Stalingrad, the fascist command sends its best rifleman Major Koening (Ed Harris) to the front line. His goal is to destroy the best Soviet sniper Vasily Zaitsev (Jude Law). Two shooters begin their deadly confrontation.

The film is based on real events, and it's nice that the West decided to remember such important events of the war.

5. Mission Impossible: Phantom Protocol

• USA, 2011.
• action adventure.
• Duration: 133 minutes.
• IMDb: 7, 4.

Ethan Hunt () is held in a Russian prison under the name of Sergei Ivanov. He escapes from prison, but at the same time a Swedish scientist organizes the explosion of the Spasskaya Tower. Hunt and his team are accused of this attack. Now the agent has to prevent a nuclear catastrophe without any support.

In this film, Russian actor Vladimir Mashkov joined Tom Cruise. True, his character periodically looks very narrow-minded.

6. Rock 'n' Roller

• UK, 2008.
• Black comedy, crime film,.
• Duration: 114 minutes.
• IMDb: 7, 3.

In London, the most profitable business for major criminals has long been not drugs and weapons, but real estate. And in order to run their own business, everyone will first have to agree with Lenny Cole - the main all London mafia.

The Russian billionaire Yuri Omovich (Karel Roden) also participates in the gangster showdown typical of complex and intricate lines. He himself looks quite respectable. But his assistants, of course, drink vodka, wear caps and even listen to the "Gaza Strip".

7. Agents A. N. K. L

• USA, 2015.
• Spy thriller.
• Duration: 116 minutes.
• IMDb: 7, 3.

CIA agent Napoleon Solo (Henry Cavill) and his KGB enemy Ilya Kuryakin (Armie Hammer) are forced to become partners to stop a criminal organization that wants to upset the fragile post-war balance in the world.

This film by Guy Ritchie is based on the TV series of the same name from the sixties. That is why here not only the Russian hero, but all the characters look like a parody. But at the same time, at last, in the film, the Russians are shown not as enemies, but as colleagues of the Western special services.

8. Crimson tide

• USA, 1995.
• Drama, thriller.
• Duration: 116 minutes.
• IMDb: 7, 3.

In Russia, a major mutiny is taking place, as a result of which part of the country's territory and military equipment passes into the hands of the nationalist Vladimir Radchenko (Daniel von Bargen). In response to the actions of the rebels, the American command sends the submarine "Alabama" an order to launch nuclear missiles. But Captain's Mate Senior Mate Ron Hunter (Denzel Washington) is confident that the next message, which the boat did not have time to receive due to damage, says that the attack has been canceled.

With a fairly standard theme in this film, there is a certain irony over the overly patriotic and aggressive Americans. The captain of "Alabama" is shown as a typical warrior who is ready to destroy the whole world without even being convinced of the reality of the threat.

9. Great equalizer

• USA, 2014.
• Action movie.
• Duration: 132 minutes.
• IMDb: 7, 2.

A retired elderly CIA agent Robert McCall decides to stand up for an unfamiliar girl who, as it turns out, works as a prostitute under the control of the Russian mafia. He single-handedly deals with petty criminals, but then he has to face real thugs under the leadership of Nikolai Itchenko, nicknamed Teddy (Marton Chokash).

And again, an American fighter confronts Russian criminals covered from head to toe with tattoos. And the role of the head of the entire mafia, Vladimir Pushkevich, was taken by the Czech actor Vladimir Kulich.

10. Golden Eye

• USA, UK 1998.
• Action, adventure film, thriller.
• Duration: 130 minutes.
• IMDb: 7, 2.

James Bond (Pierce Brosnan) is sent to Russia to neutralize terrorists who have fallen into the hands of the secret weapons complex "Golden Eye". But the investigation takes him to the very top of the government, planning to change the international banking system.

Bond already had to deal with Soviet criminals in the film "Octopussy", but in "Golden Eye" he can be seen in Russia. For example, an agent drives a tank through the streets of St. Petersburg.

11. Iron Man 2

• USA, 2010.
• Superhero action, fantasy, adventure.
• Duration: 125 minutes.
• IMDb: 7, 0.

Tony Stark admitted that he is the one who wears the Iron Man suit. And then the Russian engineer Ivan Vanko (Mickey Rourke) decides to take revenge on the American billionaire, because he is sure that Stark's father stole his father's developments.

In the world of the cinematic universe there is a constant hero with Russian roots - Natasha Romanova (Scarlett Johansson). But here a Russian villain is added to it. And of course, the story begins with a demonstration of the utter poverty in which the brilliant Russian inventor lived.

12. Rocky 4

• USA, 1985.
• Sports, drama.
• Duration: 90 minutes.
• IMDb: 6, 8.

This time, the famous boxer Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone) must meet in the ring with the most dangerous opponent - boxer and officer from the USSR Ivan Drago (Dolph Lundgren), who killed his comrade Apollo Creed in the ring.

It is curious that an actor of Swedish origin was taken on the role of the Russian boxer, and Danish actress Bridget Nielsen played his wife. Apparently, in the eyes of the authors of the film, the Russians are very similar to the representatives of the Aryan race. And in the upcoming film "Creed 2" Apollo's son will meet in the ring with Victor Drago, Ivan's son. It will be played by the Romanian boxer Florian Munteanu.

13. Gorky Park

• USA, 1983.
• Detective.
• Duration: 128 minutes.
• IMDb: 6, 8.

Moscow policeman Arkady Renko (William Hurt) is investigating the murder of three people whose disfigured bodies were found in Gorky Park. Searches lead him to the KGB and major politicians. And then he finds out that his wife may be connected with this.

The filmmakers very diligently recreated the surroundings of Moscow on the streets of Helsinki. Of course, a lot will cut the eye for the domestic viewer. Still, it doesn't look as caricatured as it does in many other films. Moreover, the main character is shown very positive.

14. K-19

• Germany, Canada, Great Britain, Russia, 1998.
• Drama, disaster film.
• Duration: 138 minutes.
• IMDb: 6, 7.

At the height of the Cold War, the newest submarine K-19 is launched. The management is trusted by the experienced captain Alexei Vostrikov (Harrison Ford). During the maiden voyage, an accident occurs - a breakdown of the cooling system of a nuclear reactor. And the team will have to fix the ship, even at the cost of their lives.

Western countries regularly shoot films about Russian submariners (remember at least "The Hunt for" Red October "" c). In this picture, the authors greatly distorted the real events that formed the basis of the film. However, "K-19" still shows the Russian military as brave and selfless people.

15. Armageddon

• USA, 1998.
• A disaster film, drama, fantasy.
• Duration: 144 minutes.
• IMDb: 6, 6.

A giant flies to the ground. According to scientists, it will lead to the inevitable end of the world. But there is a chance to save the planet - a team of astronauts and drillers is sent to the asteroid. They must plant a bomb that will split him in half.

On the way to the asteroid, the shuttles dock with the Mir station, where the Russian cosmonaut Lev Andropov (Peter Stormare) has been on duty alone for a year and a half. Of course, here it was not without a cap with earflaps and other "cranberries". But at the same time, only thanks to Andropov, the astronauts manage to escape.

16. RED 2

• USA, France, Canada, 2013.
• Action, comedy.
• Duration: 116 minutes.
• IMDb: 6, 6.

A team of elderly operatives team up to search for missing weapons of mass destruction. Their searches lead them to Paris, London and Moscow, where retirees have to make every effort to save the world.

Of course, this was not without the Russian special services. And separately it is interesting to watch Catherine Zeta-Jones in the role of Katya Petrokovich. She even tries to speak Russian. True, it is difficult to understand it.

17. Red sparrow

• USA, 2018.
• Thriller.
• Duration: 140 minutes.
• IMDb: 6, 6.

Former ballerina Dominica Egorova (Jennifer Lawrence - in the dubbing, the name was changed to Veronica), after an injury, goes to a school for secret agents. There they make a "sparrow" of her - masters of seduction, deception and murder. After training, she is sent on a mission. Dominica must find a CIA agent and find out the identity of the "mole" in the Russian special services.

In this film, it seems, they decided to show Russia as negatively as possible: upbringing at school looks just sadism, and all life is gray and gloomy. But one thing cannot be denied - Jeremy Irons is very much in a Russian military uniform.

18. Moscow on the Hudson

• USA, 1984.
• Comedy, drama, melodrama.
• Duration: 115 minutes.
• IMDb: 6, 5.

In the eighties, during a Soviet circus tour of the United States, saxophonist Vladimir Ivanov (Robin Williams) gets the opportunity not to return to his homeland, but to stay in America. True, later he realizes that everything is not so rosy here, but it is already too late.

Here, alongside the legendary Robin Williams, Soviet actors Alexander Beniaminov and Savely Kramarov play. And Russian musicians appear in the plot in small roles.

19. The plane of the president

• USA, 1997.
• Thriller, thriller.
• Duration: 125 minutes.
• IMDb: 6, 5.

US special forces are conducting an operation in Kazakhstan to capture the rebel communist general Ivan Radek (Jurgen Prokhnov). In response, terrorists led by Ivan Korshunov (Gary Oldman) take the US President (Harrison Ford) and his entire family hostage. And then the President has to personally deal with all the villains.

always succeeded in the role of charismatic villains. But in "The President's Airplane" even his charm is not enough to overlook the caricature of Russian terrorists.

20. Salt

• USA, 2010.
• Action, criminal.
• Duration: 96 minutes.
• IMDb: 6, 4.

CIA agent Evelyn Salt (Angelina Jolie) is considered a Russian spy. The defector Orlov (Daniel Olbrykhsky) said this directly. After the accusations, she has to flee from her former colleagues. But perhaps the suspicions were not unfounded.

According to rumors, initially the main character of the film was supposed to be a man, and Tom Cruise was invited to this role. However, after Jolie's approval, the plot was rewritten. And this allowed viewers to hear her speak with a Russian accent. But even in the story of "good" spies, the cruelty of the Russian special services was not without.

21. Red Dawn

• USA, 1984.
• Action, dystopia, adventure film.
• Duration: 114 minutes.
• IMDb: 6, 4.

And finally, one of the most stereotypical examples of propaganda films from the Cold War period.

In a small town in the state of Colorado, the landing of Soviet troops takes place. And this becomes the beginning of a full-scale invasion of the United States, and then the Third World War. Several schoolchildren organize the Wolverine guerrilla unit and try to liberate their city.

In this film, Russians are shown as real aggressors and invaders, who are alien to everything human.