The Ascent

Play trailer

The Ascent

1977

1h 51m

Drama

War

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

100%

Tomatometer

29 Reviews

91%

Popcornmeter

500+ Ratings

Two Soviet soldiers leave their starving unit to search a nearby farm for supplies. When they see the Germans have reached it first, they have to retreat deep into enemy territory.

Critics Consensus

Harrowing and bleak yet ultimately uplifting, The Ascent surveys the Russian World War II experience with a clear, compassionate eye.

Read Critics Reviews

Kat Sachs

Chicago Reader

09/04/2024

Ascent shows a very different form of fear, one that is raw and galling.

Go to Full Review

Wael Khairy

RogerEbert.com

09/23/2022

Shepitko’s film is less interested in presenting a simplistic anti-war message and aims for something higher, spiritual transcendence.

Go to Full Review

Jennifer Dunning

New York Times

03/01/2022

Though familiar, this is a fable re-created with an unabashed sense of grandeur as well as deeply touching humanity.

Go to Full Review

CJ Sheu

Review Film Review

01/23/2024

[Director Larissa] Shepitko demanded that every word, action, gesture, and camera movement be internally motivated, and it shows!

Go to Full Review

Dennis Harvey

48 Hills

06/13/2023

...a scarring B&W anti-war drama worthy of comparison to her husband Elem Klimov’s later Come and See...

Go to Full Review

Brian Susbielles

InSession Film

03/02/2023

Shepitko etched her name in cinema glory for this achievement.

Go to Full Review

Read all reviews

Merick H

@RT59327164 Nov 9

I was very bored by this film and I wasn't, at all, impressed by it visually either. The concept is interesting, but ultimately, this one fell flat for me.

See more

Kezia N.

@RT46631383 Oct 19

Absolutely 100%. It stays with you.

See more

Ronnie M

@spuncake Aug 31

Powerful, real and brilliant .......Easily 5 stars or more !

See more

Leaburn O

@RT35452347 11/13/2024

A very chilling Russian WWII film based in Belarus and focusing primarily on the reactions of various characters to capture, interrogation and ultimately to execution. One that will be difficult to shake and works as an excellent psychological and philosophical watch as opposed to an all out action war film. Watched on Amazon Prime.

See more

Patryk G

@RT71896368 03/07/2023

Masterfully told story through visual metaphors and religious symbolism.

See more

Michael M

@RT35696549 11/14/2021

A haunting, ethereal film by a director whose career would soon be cut tragically short, The Ascent expertly and poetically examines death and the moral and spiritual confusion caused by living in a world where it was omnipresent.

See more

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

POST RATING

Larisa Shepitko

Director

Boris Plotnikov

Sotnikov

Vladimir Gostyukhin

Rybak

Lyudmila Polyakova

Demchikha

Anatoliy Solonitsyn

Portnov

Mariya Vinogradova

Village elder's wife

Quo Vadis, Aida?

100%

91%

Quo Vadis, Aida?

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Quo Vadis, Aida?

Boy From Nowhere

100%

100%

Boy From Nowhere

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Boy From Nowhere

Kajaki

100%

82%

Kajaki

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Kajaki

Lone Survivor

75%

87%

Lone Survivor

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Lone Survivor

Tangerines

88%

89%

Tangerines

Watchlist

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

View more photos

Synopsis

Two Soviet soldiers leave their starving unit to search a nearby farm for supplies. When they see the Germans have reached it first, they have to retreat deep into enemy territory.

Director: Larisa Shepitko
Screenwriter: Yuri Klepikov, Larisa Shepitko
Production Co: Tret'e Tvorcheskoe Obedinenie
Genre: Drama, War
Original Language: Russian
Release Date (DVD): Aug 12, 2008
Runtime: 1h 51m

Most Popular at Home Now