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Afghan Breakdown is an Italian-Russian war drama film, directed by Vladimir Bortko and released in 1991. The movie stars Michele Placido, Tatyana Dogileva, and Mikhail Zhigalov, and is set against the backdrop of the Soviet-Afghan War during the 1980s. With its striking and raw portrayal of the conflict, the film provides an in-depth look at the psychological and physical impact of war on soldiers, their loyalties, and the complexities of the human spirit in the face of seemingly insurmountable challenges.

Michele Placido plays Major Bandura, the film's central character, a hardened and respected commander of a Soviet Special Forces unit stationed in Afghanistan as the war is nearing its end. The character of Bandura is a composite of stoicism, battle-weariness, and the professional soldier's ethos, struggling to maintain the discipline and morale of his troops in a war that is becoming increasingly unpopular back home and complex on the ground. Bandura's role embodies the conflicted feelings of many Soviet soldiers at the time, pulled between their duty, their desire for survival, and their sense of the futility of their mission.

Tatyana Dogileva, meanwhile, portrays Bandura's wife, who resides in the Soviet Union. Her character offers a contrasting glimpse into the effects of the war on the soldiers' families, providing an emotional counterpoint to the masculine, combat-heavy setting that dominates the movie. It underscores the unparalleled sacrifices made by the families and the emotional disconnect between the home front and the battlefield.

Mikhail Zhigalov plays an older, war-weary officer who shares his battlefield experience with Bandura and mirrors the existential angst of soldiers who have spent the best years of their lives in a conflict that has drained their spirits and sense of purpose.

Afghan Breakdown is renowned for its gritty realism, achieved through detailed and realistic combat scenes that eschew glorification, instead portraying combat as chaotic, brutal, and often indecisive. The filmmakers' commitment to authenticity is evident, as the movie includes actual Soviet military hardware and accurate depictions of military tactics used during the war. Such attention to detail showcases the film's intent to offer viewers an immersive and truthful representation of the combat experience as the Soviet Union experienced it during the late stages of the Afghan conflict.

The film's raw portrayal of the Afghanistan's harsh terrain further exacerbates the sense of isolation and danger that the characters face. The unforgiving mountains, desolate deserts, and mazelike villages become a labyrinth of challenges for the soldiers. In many ways, the landscape itself serves as another character in the movie, shaping the action and influencing the psychological state of the troops.

An important aspect of Afghan Breakdown is its exploration of the relationship between the Soviet soldiers and the Afghan people, including both the Mujahideen guerillas they are fighting against and the civilians caught in the crossfire. This relationship is complex and fraught with tension, misunderstandings, and occasional flashes of human connection that transcend the war's violence.

The film also delves into the internal conflicts within the Soviet forces, including the differentiation in ideology and methods between the Soviet army regulars and the Special Forces. These divisions serve as a microcosm for the larger political and societal shifts occurring in the Soviet Union towards the end of the Cold War.

Afghan Breakdown doesn't shy away from the political commentary. It is subtly but sharply critical of the Soviet Union's role in Afghanistan, questioning the political decisions that sent young men to fight and die in a foreign land for seemingly abstract geopolitical aims. As such, it has been noted for its brave stance in a time wherein the collapse of the Soviet Union and the subsequent opening of public discourse allowed for a reassessment of the war's place in Soviet history.

The film's pacing, interlaced with moments of intense action and quieter, more reflective sequences, allows viewers to both witness the frenetic pace of combat and sit with the soldiers during their periods of introspection, coming to understand them not as mere warriors but as complex individuals with their own fears, hopes, and dreams.

Afghan Breakdown is an intense, emotive, and thought-provoking film, heavy with the weight of history and the poignancy of hindsight. It serves as both a historical document and a powerful narrative of the costs of war, humanizing a conflict often reduced to footnotes and statistics. It was one of the first films of its time to deal with the Soviet-Afghan War, and for many viewers, it provided a poignant insight into an experience that had been little understood by the wider public. Its impact remains significant, contributing to the discussion of the war and its legacy in the years since its release.