In recent years, excellent WWII-themed genre films have emerged in Russia, such as "The Female Sniper", "The Dawns Here Are Quiet", "Stalingrad", etc., "The Hunt for T34" is one of them. In particular, this film does not follow the conventional historical narrative and expression techniques, but ingeniously staged a full-scale visual feast for the audience.
The film is divided into three parts for the story structure. From the first head-to-head battle to the preparations after being captured, to the life and death confrontation of escape, every detail in the image and the brutality of the war and the lofty ambitions of Lingyun displayed in every scene are no longer needed. It is said that when the heroine waited at the bus station to meet her tank, the direct collision of steel and tenderness in the picture, the unique romance of the Russians at that time tickled the heartstrings of every viewer. Visual satisfaction and emotional rendering make the overall viewing experience distinct and long aftertaste.
"Tank Time"
"Hunting T34" used a lot of "bullet time" techniques to deal with tank-related battle scenes, and filmed the unprecedented soul feeling of this steel body. The fire and passion of the weapon itself burst out through slow motion pictures. Therefore, it is not inconsistent to call this technique "tank time" in the film. "Bullet Time" has become a trend since the inception of "The Matrix", and it has continuously appeared in various action films, reshaping the flow of film time and the performance of details. And "Hunting T34" also highlights the depiction of details. The combat pictures in the movie are no longer limited to the usual big scenes and long-range shooting techniques, but instead focus on showing the deformed face in the small space inside the tank and the eyes when aiming and shooting. Close-up and the slow moment when the cannon is fired. Coupled with the blessing of the game company's fine special effects, the tragic war and heavy casualties are truly presented in front of our eyes through these magnified details, blasting fire, blurred flesh, burning smell... Tank battle seems to mean a unique new sensory experience .
"If you want a miracle, there will be a miracle."
Different from previous war films, this film rarely uses bright tones as the main theme of some pictures, juxtaposing the darkness of war with the expression of emotion, highlighting a kind of romantic heroism. In the movie, when the male protagonist and his friends repair the tank and plan to escape, the seemingly impossible plan is no longer just a few words under the setting sun, but the firm belief radiated by the two people in the backlit silhouette. With the miracle light, it perfectly interprets the romance of idealists. In the face of any predicament, they are fearless in war and love their motherland deeply. This emotion can overcome everything and unite everything.
When T34 walks on the streets of a small German town, the hard-core machinery rumbles, and the natural and cultural scenery is at the foot. The force and elegance in the picture are intertwined, and the special Russian romantic style is visually displayed. It is worth mentioning that their romantic conversation before the war, and at the end, everyone fulfilled their previous agreement. Although it is a little idealistic, this firm belief is the narrative theme that runs through the film.
While the film shows the same internal fighting will and national sentiment, through this battle between tanks, we can also see the battle between the enemy and ourselves and between countries. Different from the previous methods of deliberately smearing or blurring the image of the German army, after the collision of lightning and flint, on the gravel billowing with gunpowder, both the enemy and the enemy in this film respect each other enough and do their best to fight. Within the framework of the story, the two have both a battle of wits and courage on the battlefield and a human-level exchange, which adds a layer of hero-cherishing to the shaping of the relationship between the enemy and the enemy (such as the setting of the hero and the opponent with the same name), and at the same time It precisely fits the viewing needs of the audience in the current era of Bromance (male camaraderie). At the critical moment, they confronted each other head-on on the bridge. The chemical reaction between the two was connected and burst out in the back and forth of the shots, pushing the development of the film to a climax.
It is undeniable that the emotional expression of the film may be too strong, which leads to the weakening of the logic of some designs. However, the bold combination of shooting techniques has awakened the memory of the past wartime, reproduced the spirit of the combatants at that time, and the era of the war-torn era was comprehensively constructed. The memory of the past is no longer fading, and remembering is the most essential meaning of the creation of this film.
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