The Beast

[chrisb]

Not the pervy French film from 1975 but a nicely underplayed drama/actioner from 1988 with Jason Patric. A fictional story, it's about this Russian tank -a T62 I believe- that gets separated from its unit in newly occupied Afghanistan, and is hunted by a group of mujahadeen as it tries to make its way back to Kandahar or thereabouts. You don't learn much more about the conflict than Rambo 3 released the same year, but it's much more subtle in its approach and decently acted. The tank features so prominently its almost a character in itself (and 'bleeds' with the humans).

Fairly low budget looking at the small cast, but much more preferable than the aforementioned Rambo sequel in my opinion.

[Jack]

I saw that a long time ago and still remember it quite vividly.  Good movie, I need to check it out again sometime. 

[Umaril The Unfeathered]

Same here..I first seen it on HBO years back. If I remember right the one actor in the tank crew was a young Baldwin brother (though I forget which one.)  Very good movie. 

T-62's are junk though, Cold-War era scrap that a Hellfire missile can punch a hole thru easier than a hot knife thru butter.

1988, that was about a year before the Russians decided to stop laughing at America for Vietnam, and realize they just had their own Vietnam with upwards of 20,000 + dead from the well-trained Afghan Mujahaideen. 1989  or 90' was when they left.

Come to think of it, that country has never been conquered, although it's the reason for the old saying "all roads lead to Afghanistan" as all the major Euro and Asiatic conquerors wound up passing thru it to get to their objectives back in the day. Almost every culture has military-religious artifacts they left behind in Afghanistan.

[Hammock Rider]

I saw it years ago to, but I remember that I liked it. It was spartan, which I thought was very appropriate for the subject matter.


I've heard Afghanistan decribed as the "Graveyard of Empires." 

[Neville]

I saw it a few months ago. If you ask me, it is a forgotten gem. It's somehow hipnotic most of the time, but the final action scenes got my heart pounding. All it needs is a better defined ending.

[Umaril The Unfeathered]

I saw it years ago to, but I remember that I liked it. It was spartan, which I thought was very appropriate for the subject matter.


I've heard Afghanistan decribed as the "Graveyard of Empires." 

I have also heard the same phrase used to describe Afghanistan as well.

To allude to that point, the previous historical religion of Afghanistan (prior to extremist Islam) was Buddhism. The Taliban destroyed (or at least defaced) two huge stone statues of Buddha that were carved into a mountainside when they came to power.

[Flick James]

I know I've got a dirty mind, but every time I see the title of this thread I think it says "The Breast."