From "Crew" to "Kholop": 10 highest-grossing Russian films in history

2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55

Every year, Russian filmmakers release hundreds of new films. But not all of them are considered by the public to be worthy of attention. True, the matter may be in an improperly organized advertising campaign or a not very successful premiere date, but a good movie always finds its audience. And the measure of the success of films, as you know, is the box office. Viewers always vote for this or that picture with their own money.

Crew, 2016, director Nikolai Lebedev

Box office: 1 504 million rubles

Despite the rather controversial reviews of both critics and viewers about the film, "The Crew" was watched by more than 500 million people. The picture undoubtedly has its drawbacks, but at the same time it also lacks merits. And if you take it as a whole, the director managed to create a large-scale spectacle, which was based on the serious work of the entire film crew. But the mass of negative reviews appeared, most likely, only because the new "Crew" does not quite look like the cult film by Alexander Mitta of the same name.

"Ice", 2017, directed by Oleg Trofim

Box office: 1 502 million rubles

Some call "Ice" a complete farce, others - a hymn to the glory of fortitude and sports excitement. Surely, each of the six million people who watched the film have their own opinion on this matter. But the picture definitely deserves the attention of the audience, if only because it can help everyone to believe in themselves and do what seemed unattainable yesterday.

"Ice-2", 2020, director Zhora Kryzhovnikov

Box office: 1 544 million rubles

The sequel to "Ice" turned out to be completely unexpected. It was filmed by a completely different director, with his own vision and his own handwriting. Therefore, the story took on new shades. "Ice-2" is no longer a fairy tale about a prince and a princess, but about the ability to find bright colors in the harsh reality of life, the ability to solve any problems, if there is, for whom and what to live for.

"Viking", 2016, directed by Andrey Kravchuk

Box office: 1,534 million rubles

The picture came out quite controversial and ambiguous. Immediately after the premiere, many critics noted that the creators of "Viking" had to find a balance between the not-too-positive protagonist, Prince Vladimir, and the impossibility of denigrating the one who brought Russia to baptism.

"Stalingrad", 2013, director Fyodor Bondarchuk

Box office: 1,670 million rubles

The film was watched by almost six million people, despite the large number of negative reviews and rather low ratings. In any case, Fyodor Bondarchuk made a very unusual film in which there is no ideal hero. There are ordinary people who were placed in the inhuman conditions of a brutal war. And here there was a place for love, patriotism, exploits, betrayal. And yet, the main idea runs through the whole picture: war is always a tragedy, regardless of its outcome.

"The Last Hero", 2017, director Dmitry Dyachenko

Box office: 1,731 million rubles

A modern Russian fairy tale with very typical heroes and an atypical plot was watched by almost 7.5 million people. At the same time, the views of the audience were again divided: some did not see anything outstanding in the film, others were completely delighted with the plot, direction and acting. In "The Last Bogatyr" there are funny jokes and bright colors, very colorful characters and stunning landscapes. Everything that allows the film to please both adults and children.

“Policeman from Rublyovka. New Year's mayhem ", 2018, director Ilya Kulikov

Box office: 1,762 million rubles

Surely, many of the more than six million viewers, going to the cinema to watch the new film by Ilya Kulikov, hoped to see a New Year's comedy, which could compare in the strength of emotions with the cult New Year films of the Soviet era. But this movie is unlike any of them. This does not mean that he is bad, the picture has its own atmosphere, its characters and its own, sometimes very unexpected plot.

"T-34", 2018, director Alexey Sidorov

Box office: 2,273 million rubles

A very atmospheric and very controversial film. One of those that cause a lot of controversy and discussion among critics and ordinary viewers. However, this picture really has an equal number of both pluses and minuses, and it is worth seeing it at least in order to form your own opinion about it.

"Moving up", 2017, director Anton Megerdichev

Box office: 3,043 million rubles

A sports drama about fortitude and the ability to change, if not the course of history, then the disposition of forces on a sports ground in one moment. Surely, Anton Megerdichev's painting has enough flaws, but only one fact speaks of its merits. Very often, the audience in cinemas stood up and applauded the on-screen characters, as once the fans applauded the USSR basketball team, which won gold at the 1972 Olympics.

"Kholop", 2019, directed by Klim Shipenko

Box office: 3,071 million rubles

In many ways, the success of Klim Shipenko's picture lies in the sparkling humor that overwhelms the film, in the wonderful acting and absolutely incredible landscapes. This is a light romantic comedy, without a touch of vulgarity and moralizing.

Film students should surely know the history of cinema and be familiar with the best films of all time. Harvard University for its students applying for a PhD in Film Studies, recommended 725 films of different genres and directions for compulsory viewing, including our domestic films.