The Rifleman of the Voroshilov Regiment (1999)

The Rifleman of the Voroshilov Regiment is a bracing, morally charged thriller that turns righteous anger into something sharper: a portrait of how a society breaks when justice becomes a family business. Stanislav Govorukhin stages the story with a grim, lived-in authenticity—post-Soviet streets, weary institutions, and a tightening sense of inevitability—while Mikhail Ulyanov gives the grandfather a granite dignity that makes every quiet decision feel thunderous. It’s not a glossy revenge fantasy so much as a tense, controlled descent into vigilantism, where the suspense comes from watching power protect itself and one old man refuse to be dismissed. Fair warning: the assault that sets everything in motion is central and deeply upsetting, so this isn’t for everyone—but if you can handle the subject matter, the film’s fury and clarity are hard to shake.

The Rifleman of the Voroshilov Regiment is trying to be a furious, morally charged protest film about corruption and a broken justice system, using a war veteran’s vigilante payback as its blunt instrument. It doesn’t soften the premise: the sexual assault is central, grim, and emotionally punishing, and the movie leans into anger and retribution rather than nuance or healing. If you’re looking for a thoughtful procedural, a balanced character study, or anything resembling comfort, this will feel like a harsh, didactic slog designed to provoke outrage. That said, it has a raw, confrontational energy and a strong central performance that will land for viewers who can handle heavy content and want a straightforward, old-school revenge drama with a political bite.