SERIOUSLY. This is what the crap Hollywood still puts out?

This movie feels like it was made purely to piss off people who want good shows

A great movie, one of the best of this year. There was a bit of confusion at one point in the plot, but nothing serious.

Exactly the movie you think it is, but not the movie you want it to be.

Having seen this film/movie in its original language, of which I am a fluent speaker, I am left with the impression that this is little more than propaganda. The Russians are portrayed as valiant heroes and heroic, unrelenting fighters, or else as cheerful, happy peasants who are subjected to brutal exploitation by demonic Nazi troops. The Italians appear as annoyed and unwilling soldiers, far kinder than the 'evil' Germans, but totally naive about war. Once you ignore the obvious political connotations of all this, the film is actually quite entertaining; certainly a good war film, though nowhere near the great Hollywood epics. In reality, by 1942, no less than 300,000 Italian soldiers, comprising 12 full strength divisions and support staff, were employed in southern Russia, guarding the northern flank of the German offensive towards Stalingrad, alongside Romanians and Hungarians. All the Axis allies forces - not just the Italians - lacked sufficient artillery or adequate winter equipment and motorised transport. Consequently, when the Russians launched their Winter offensive, it was directed against these weaker forces rather than the Germans. It was not surprising when these forces broke and ran in disorder. Morale was also not high - most of the soldiers were poorly educated peasants who were badly treated by their superior officers.The film is worth watching as an example of seeing 'the other side' engaged in a war that most Brtiish and Americans know relatively little about. Just make sure you ignore the pro-Soviet tone.

So many remakes get produced these days, and so many of those turn out to be HORRIBLE decisions. Here is a screenplay that, with just a wee bit of work and a reasonable budget, could be made into one fine film. As it stands, this is an uneven picture with many moments of sheer brilliance. The saber-charging Cossacks are a terrifying lot. The scream of the rockets over the horizon, even with the deficient mono soundtrack, is truly hair-raising, especially considering the limited technology and budget that must have been available in that time and place. Other reviewers have objected to the heroic status conveyed to the Russians, both combatant and non-. Well, some of them WERE heroes, and but for their heroics there would have been a lot more Nazis for US to fight! I'm sorry if that upsets those laboring under neo-con delusions out there, but too bad for you.And there was certainly no shortage of heroes, and victims, among the ranks of the Italians. If you ever visit Italy, tour some of the little villages in the countryside. In the town square you'll often find an ornate statue dedicated to their World War I dead, usually five or six names, or maybe a few more, depending on the size of the town. Somewhere near you'll typically find a simple block of granite bearing the names of their sons who never came back from North Africa, Greece, and the Eastern Front in the next war, names that may number in the dozens or even hundreds. Just as the story of Corelli's Mandolin deserves to be told correctly, so does this one.

I will start by noting that I like to watch historical movies for the history and I think this one gives you a lot, not so much names, places, battles, dates as the "feel" of what it was like for the foot sloggers, details of uniforms, etc., and this movie does a good job. At times I felt the icy winds howling across the Russian Steppes, the T-34 tanks advancing against Italians caught out in the open, with no properly prepared positions or anti-tank weapons. I confess I missed the subtle anti-Fascist/pro-Soviet allusions other viewers referred to, I did feel for the poorly trained and equipped Italian soldiers fighting a tough and determined and better equipped enemy.

An excellent movie especially if your interest is depicting the horrors of war. No war is ever easy or fun-producing, especially when you consider that the vast number of killed-in-action are from age 18 through age 23. Permanently maimed are in excess of 8 times the number of dead. This movie "Attack and Retreat" seems to depict the German soldiers more monsters than fighting men, and the Russians as gentle and kind - hardly a good description of either. Because of its excellent acting and moving scenes, I rated this movie an 8. It is true that the Italian soldier has been regarded generally as humane. It may be because Italian soldiers have strong family and Catholic values. Also, war is not Italy's strong point or sphere of interest. Too bad that no inference was made as to the many millions of Stalin's own people who were starved to death or killed in his murderous rampages. Of all the war pictures I have ever seen - this movie stands out as one of the most engrossing.