Red Army

Name: Red Army
Genre: Biography, History, Sport, Documentary
Released: November 14, 2014
Duration: 76 min
Rating: 83
Cast: Vyacheslav Fetisov

2014

METASCORE

Universal acclaim based on 33 Critics

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 21 Ratings

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7.7

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7.7	Your Score
7.7	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 21 Ratings

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Red Army

Movie Details & Credits

Sony Pictures Classics | Release Date: November 14, 2014

Starring: Vyacheslav Fetisov

Summary: Red Army is about the Soviet Union and the most successful dynasty in sports history: the Red Army hockey team. Filmmaker Gabe Polsky tells an extraordinary human story from the perspective of its captain Slava Fetisov, the friendships, the betrayals, and the personal dramas, which led to his transformation from national hero to politicalRed Army is about the Soviet Union and the most successful dynasty in sports history: the Red Army hockey team. Filmmaker Gabe Polsky tells an extraordinary human story from the perspective of its captain Slava Fetisov, the friendships, the betrayals, and the personal dramas, which led to his transformation from national hero to political enemy. The film examines how sport mirrors social and cultural movements and parallels the rise and fall of the Red Army team with the Soviet Union. [Sony Pictures Classics]… Expand

Director: Gabe Polsky

Genre(s): Biography, History, Sport, Documentary

Rating: PG

Runtime: 76 min

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Awards & Rankings

37	#37 Best Movie of 2014

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Metascore

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Critic Reviews

100

Philadelphia Inquirer - Steven Rea

Feb 27, 2015

It's a story of global consequences and historic proportions, and of astounding athleticism and synchronicity - and filmmaker Polsky ices it. Read full review

100

Village Voice - Amy Nicholson

Nov 11, 2014

Red Army is a riveting look behind the Iron Curtain. Read full review

Rolling Stone - Peter Travers

Jan 21, 2015

Red Army deserves a big boo-yah from audiences for being illuminating and hugely entertaining. And if some of the talk is in Russian, live with it. Read full review

The Hollywood Reporter - Stephen Dalton

Sep 19, 2014

Red Army is a slick, witty, fast-moving blend of sports story and history lesson. Read full review

TheWrap - Inkoo Kang

Jan 23, 2015

Red Army is a thoughtful and cheer-worthy examination of how sports can shape cultures, redraw borders and change history. Read full review

New York Daily News - Graham Fuller

Nov 12, 2014

You don’t have to be a sports fan or a Cold War buff to relish the compelling political investigation and fierce rink action in this brisk, terrific movie. Read full review

New Orleans Times-Picayune - Mike Scott

Mar 20, 2015

A fast-moving, fascinating and at times even fun documentary residing squarely at the intersection of sports, geopolitics and history. Read full review

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User Reviews

ScribeHard

May 28, 2015

Red Army illustrates a masterful balance of telling stories that otherwise would (rightfully) battle each other for attention, coupled with a precision integration of those stories to create a well-paced, cohesive narrative, and wrapped in a terrific collection of clips, pictures, and hockeyRed Army illustrates a masterful balance of telling stories that otherwise would (rightfully) battle each other for attention, coupled with a precision integration of those stories to create a well-paced, cohesive narrative, and wrapped in a terrific collection of clips, pictures, and hockey highlights. All credit to writer/director Gabe Polsky for taking what could have been a half-dozen solid independent documentaries and turning it all into one lithe, 85-minute trip to a past that feels like forever ago, yet one so many of us lived at least part of. This is a can’t-miss doc for laypeople and puckheads alike.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

fungusgnat

Jul 3, 2015

A history of Russian ice hockey over the past several decades. The title is from the alternate name of the national team—the “Red Army Club”—so-called because all team members were also members of the Army. The film covers well the relationships among the hockey team, the governmentA history of Russian ice hockey over the past several decades. The title is from the alternate name of the national team—the “Red Army Club”—so-called because all team members were also members of the Army. The film covers well the relationships among the hockey team, the government (including the KGB), and Russian society—and, as Russian society opened up, the NHL. Those interviewed include participants in all those sectors and, most importantly, Viacheslav Fetisov, a hockey star who beat his own path. I found this a greatly appealing and engrossing film, and I don’t even like hockey. Polsky sometimes exhibits a disarming amateurism in his interviews when his subjects seem reluctant to speak, while at other times drawing uninterrupted, emotional, focused declamations. It seems he had some Western-centric, going-in assumptions that weren’t entirely verified, but good for him that he made the movie to which his subjects led him. Enormous credit also to Polsky and his editors for extensive montages of photos, clips, music from multiple sources, and fast edits that impart movement and invite engagement. The one smirch is failing to reveal Fetisov’s stake in what we are seeing until near the end; doing so would have helped explain why his earlier answers sometimes have an air of guarded ambiguity about them. All in all, though, this is an impressive look at the club that came out on the short end of the U.S. Miracle on Ice.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Brent_Marchant

Feb 16, 2015

An excellent documentary about hockey that's not just for sports fans. In detailing the experiences of the Soviet Union's much-celebrated Red Army team, the film also delves into such topics as global politics, human relations, creativity and teamwork. A surprisingly insightful piece ofAn excellent documentary about hockey that's not just for sports fans. In detailing the experiences of the Soviet Union's much-celebrated Red Army team, the film also delves into such topics as global politics, human relations, creativity and teamwork. A surprisingly insightful piece of filmmaking that's also a lot of fun to watch.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

Ralfbergs

Jun 29, 2015

A good documentary if you didn't know much about Soviet Union's hockey before, but if you did and especially if you have heard of the players and what they have achieved and the regime that was there in USSR for hockey training etc, then there's not much new. For me, being used toA good documentary if you didn't know much about Soviet Union's hockey before, but if you did and especially if you have heard of the players and what they have achieved and the regime that was there in USSR for hockey training etc, then there's not much new. For me, being used to documentaries that dig deeper and explore more, I felt like this is lacking something. And it skipped through lots of time periods quite quickly too. I think this is more a documentary about Fetisov than about whole Red Army team, but still, was interesting to see.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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