Finally, a close to perfect work. This film got it all. The conflict, thank God, can be read through more than one dimension. It's how to have rich drama, and be thought-provoking too.
One can read it as a brilliant chapter in the cold war's time; the original Soviet communist vs. the Lithuanian enemy of the proletarian revolution. As if it's the eastern block vs. the western world. Then, it's a battle of minds between the old generation who believed in something and fought for it, and the young one who rebelled against the first, fighting for the opposite. So it is, as well, the wise old vs. the riotous young.
The differences between the 2 main characters are catchy and well-made. One is mystic who loves to unite with nature (great scene, with only music, for him enjoying sailing; as if it's a spiritual fun). And the other is more materialistic, with hot pace and temper (enough to remember his leather jacket and motorcycle).
I loved the pace, it's meditative and exciting in the same time; which is very hard to achieve by the way. Still the scene of seeking help by external factors to affect the players is smartly comic to the max; that Indian guru, who controls minds, is pure comedy. The 2 lead actors played their roles in iconic way if you will. However, nothing is better than the end of it.
Simply, this film wins immortality by not relaying only on the cold war situation back then, yet it dives into deeper layer to make it essentially a conflict between just humans, who wants to assure themselves in the thing that they love. Notice well how it doesn't eventually choose a winner or a loser too, because the game is on and the conflict is forever between the older and the younger. It's how the film - so intelligently - will live for more and more, being suitable to watch anytime or anywhere; it outlived the cold war itself already.
So, it is satisfying whether as politically, philosophically, or - and that's the most important - as a good effective drama in the first place; where you can watch it only as a thrilling movie about a crucial game of chess between the smartest 2 guys on earth. Naturally, this is one of the best films I have ever seen. Or in another word, this is how films must be made.
One can read it as a brilliant chapter in the cold war's time; the original Soviet communist vs. the Lithuanian enemy of the proletarian revolution. As if it's the eastern block vs. the western world. Then, it's a battle of minds between the old generation who believed in something and fought for it, and the young one who rebelled against the first, fighting for the opposite. So it is, as well, the wise old vs. the riotous young.
The differences between the 2 main characters are catchy and well-made. One is mystic who loves to unite with nature (great scene, with only music, for him enjoying sailing; as if it's a spiritual fun). And the other is more materialistic, with hot pace and temper (enough to remember his leather jacket and motorcycle).
I loved the pace, it's meditative and exciting in the same time; which is very hard to achieve by the way. Still the scene of seeking help by external factors to affect the players is smartly comic to the max; that Indian guru, who controls minds, is pure comedy. The 2 lead actors played their roles in iconic way if you will. However, nothing is better than the end of it.
Simply, this film wins immortality by not relaying only on the cold war situation back then, yet it dives into deeper layer to make it essentially a conflict between just humans, who wants to assure themselves in the thing that they love. Notice well how it doesn't eventually choose a winner or a loser too, because the game is on and the conflict is forever between the older and the younger. It's how the film - so intelligently - will live for more and more, being suitable to watch anytime or anywhere; it outlived the cold war itself already.
So, it is satisfying whether as politically, philosophically, or - and that's the most important - as a good effective drama in the first place; where you can watch it only as a thrilling movie about a crucial game of chess between the smartest 2 guys on earth. Naturally, this is one of the best films I have ever seen. Or in another word, this is how films must be made.