The film 'Major Grom: The Game' has launched in theaters, a Russian premiere that devoted fans of the adventures of the Russian superhero (and not only) have been waiting for for several years. Whether their expectations were met – read in the articl...

Let's Go Back a Couple of Years

In 2021, the film was released. Before that, Bubble company gave viewers several bright short films about the Russian superhero, which were a test of the pen before the big start of the cinematic universe. Some criticized them, others praised them. But it became clear that a new force was emerging in the world of Russian cinema, along with a large fandom with high expectations.

Roman Kovalev

'Major Grom: Plague Doctor': Review of the First Russian Comic Book Film

'Major Grom: Plague Doctor' is a Russian comic book film that succeeded.

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In 2023, a prequel was released, telling about the childhood of the main character, in which we got to know Grom better and delved deeper into the universe. Also in 2023, Bubble announced the start of filming for the third film and said that the story would be based on the comic 'The Game', but not entirely. And here the fandom froze, as this plot is notorious for its brutality and danger to many characters.

What was the result? We'll tell you without spoilers and explain why it's better to see all the plot twists for yourself.

Hide and Seek

Police Major Igor Grom (Tikhon Zhiznevsky) is known throughout St. Petersburg for his assertive character and uncompromising attitude towards criminals of all stripes. Incredible strength, an analytical mind, and incorruptibility make Major Grom a true superhero. His life is ideal: by day he catches criminals with his partner Dima Dubin (Alexander Seteykin), and in the evenings he spends time with journalist Yulia Pchelkina (Lyubov Aksyonova). This idyll is interrupted by the appearance in the city of a mysterious villain calling himself the Ghost. He offers Grom a dangerous game, with the stakes being the lives of ordinary people.

A Year Later. How Are You Doing, Guys?

So, according to the plot, only a year has passed since the events of the first film. Viewers find themselves at the anniversary of the events, observe the development of the relationship between Igor and Yulia, and see how the city honors its hero by erecting monuments and using his image in marketing campaigns.

What about our heroes? After all, such events do not pass without a trace. Let's start with the main character.

Igor Konstantinovich Grom. Perhaps the main changes that will be immediately noticeable and even annoying in the first minutes of the film are related to him. Grom no longer furrows his brows, sighs, or shies away from people. He basks in glory, communicates with colleagues, and becomes the life of the party at police station gatherings. He has become more like Igor from the comics, but a little less like his character from the first film. You decide whether you like it or not. But don't worry too much; after the main events begin, we will again hear the classic 'I'll do everything myself, I don't need help.'

Hot-headed decisions, sharp mind and logic, the desire to save everyone and everything without much regard for consequences – all of this remains in place. But the main thing is that at the very end, we will still see the transformation of the hero with full awareness of everything that has happened over these years and days. *Yes, yes, we are without spoilers, we remember*

What happened to the main girl of our superhero, Yulia Pchelkina? Love has turned her head, and now she is completely immersed in developing Igor's image, forgetting that she is an excellent journalist. But still, in the most difficult times, we will see that same Yulia again, making us admire her abilities.

Dima Dubin is a character who deserves special attention. Dima, after a year of working with Igor, has gained experience and is ready for his job. Now his speeches sound confident, the pistol is firmly held in his hand, and he becomes an authority among colleagues. What did you expect? As Prokopenko said: 'With Grom, a year counts as three.'

And what about Fyodor Ivanovich (Alexei Maklakov)? He is responsible for nostalgia in the film, periodically creating touching references to both the first film and 'Difficult Childhood.'

Now let's talk about the inhabitants of the psychiatric hospital, who play an important role in the story. Sergei Razumovsky (Sergei Goroshko) is still experimenting with his hairstyle, and interesting thoughts are swarming in his head that will make us nervous. It's nice that more screen time is given to Veniamin Rubinstein. You can feel through the screen that Konstantin Khabensky enjoys this role. Over time, we have gotten used to our heroes being almost invincible, but as soon as he appears on screen, this confidence evaporates. To be honest, the scenes with Khabensky are also well shot. They create a real sense of trance.

Playing with Newcomers

Well, we've talked about familiar faces, now let's move on to the newcomers of the cinematic universe. As Olga Sutulova admitted at the premiere, the hardest part for her was fitting into a team where everyone already knew each other. Remember the feeling when a new student appears in class. At first, you look at them, they don't always behave adequately, and then they turn out to be quite an interesting person. Actually, the same feelings are evoked by Maria Arkhipova in the film. At first, she is a cold lady who clearly wants to destroy our beautiful world, but then she undergoes significant changes, even in appearance. In the finale, you can't take your eyes off her.

Let's move on to August van der Holt (Matvey Lykov). The new handsome man of the Bubble universe, who attracts a lot of attention. Because it's clear that while Razumovsky is dealing with appearance issues, all the villainy will be tied to him. After all, you can't have superheroics without an antagonist. And he handles it – his scenes are spectacular, attention-grabbing, filled with slow-motion shots and stylish images. All in the best traditions of bad guys.

The characters of Evgeny Chebatkov, Andrey Trushin, and Andrey Atlas appeared in the film for jokes, humorous moments, and spectacular fights. Cameos of the creators are also present, of course.

Balance of Power in the Game

The authors managed to create a project where everyone can find something that touches their soul, but it can also disappoint. We'll talk about the pros, but they can also be cons. Such duality.

This is what 'The Game' is built on. We see how the heroes oscillate between their two 'selves,' trying to choose the right side. But does it even exist? Even the darkest villain may only want one thing – to be loved, and for that, they may be ready to sacrifice themselves.

As in the first film, themes of society and its influence on our consciousness are raised. The authors also discuss that we believe everything said on TV or smartphone screens. But the key theme remains the ability to take responsibility in critical moments. And if the first film showed that one man is not a warrior in the field, 'The Game' makes it clear that if you are united by a common cause, even being apart, you can win.

During viewing, it seems that the screenwriters were torn between adapting the comic and continuing the film story. The film turned out to be more dynamic, as if combining 'Plague Doctor' with 'Difficult Childhood' with elements of the comic 'The Game,' which everyone was waiting for and feared. The first film was darker, even the events mostly took place in the evening, creating an atmosphere of a kind of noir adjusted for the genre. This part looks more pop, fitting more into the superhero format.

In the end, we can say that the sequel is rather successful, it deserves the audience's attention and does not deviate from the genre's boundaries. And that's the most important thing.

Trailer:

P. S. And what about the post-credits scene? There is only one in the film, so don't stay too long. So. Your author had the opportunity to watch the film a month ago. Then the creators admitted that a revised version would be released. And believe me, what is released now is a more finished product, where all the i's are dotted and all possible ellipses for continuation are placed.