On February 23, Artyom Mikhalkov's film "Mr. Knockout" was released in theaters. What makes the new sports drama good and what it lacked – we tell you in our article.

The first screening of the film took place in St. Petersburg. Most of the events take place in St. Petersburg, and according to director Artyom Mikhalkov, presenting the film in this city is a great responsibility. Together with the hero, the viewer will visit Kronstadt, and the Russian Museum will play the role of the Hermitage.

The atmosphere at the Velikan Park cinema was that of a meeting of two generations. Among the guests were not only members of the film crew, but also the Russian youth boxing team and honored coaches in this sport. For example, one of the guests was Oleg Kuzmin. He not only linked his entire life to sports, but is also a master of bringing boxing to cinema. For instance, he advised and trained Danila Kozlovsky during the filming of the movie "Spy". Unsurprisingly, after the premiere, discussions in the lobby focused mainly on the boxing aspects of the film.

Mr. Knockout: who is he?

The film reveals the life story and adventures of the legendary Soviet boxer Valery Popenchenko, champion of the USSR, Europe and winner of the 1964 Olympic Games in Tokyo — about his childhood at the Suvorov Military School in Tashkent, his service as a border guard cadet, his early successes and failures, and his friendship with the coach of the Dynamo sports society Grigory Kusikyants. The lead roles are played by Viktor Khorinyak and Sergei Bezrukov.

The life story of Popenchenko, or simply Ponchik as he is often called in the film, is built from three narrative threads – childhood, studies at the Suvorov Military School in Tashkent, and the actual path to Olympic gold.

Scenes from the protagonist's life in Tashkent were filmed directly in that city. In this time segment of the story, the role of Popenchenko is played by Oleg Chugunov, known from the film "". Here, the picture is filled with sun, ripe watermelons, and that still naive childhood love.

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Why "Mr. Knockout" is still relevant today

The film's shooting dragged on for almost three and a half years, and as it happened, it reflects all the realities of the connection between sports and politics, Soviet power and destinies. This theme was raised in films like "Legend No. 17" and "Going Vertical". But in this film, our government is not as "important" as the country's image on the world stage. It is enough to recall the words of coach Kusikyants to understand that nothing in our lives has changed for 40 years: "No one in the whole world wants to see our country strong and mighty! If we lose in the ring, they will think we can be beaten on the battlefield!"

What to love about "Mr. Knockout"?

Before us is a classic sports drama, where there is room for boxing and personal experiences. The screenwriters skillfully alternate scenes of training and fights with conversations. The screen presents the image of a "street fighter" whose technique does not fit the system, he can only find common ground with a coach who is not accepted by anyone, and he fights only out of love.

Add to this a modern soundtrack, masterful shooting of the final fight, and also small "Mikhalkov" Easter eggs. Artyom Nikitich himself played a small role in the film, but he did not forget to wink at his father. All fans of the program "BesogonTV" will clearly smile at the mention of Midshipman Krivoruchka.

A fly in the ointment and what remained off-screen

There are claims against the film, and they appear already after the finale. Many questions remain unanswered. The film ends on a happy note, as the genre requires, but questions remain in the head: "Did the hero buy the ring?", "Did he win the cup he so strived for?" All that is missing is just one final shot with text about subsequent history, as is often done in works based on real events.

The image of Popenchenko himself was revealed only from one side – the sports side. Although his fate and life could have been a large field for creativity for the screenwriters. After his career ended, he took up science, knew several languages perfectly, was interested in numerology, wrote poetry, and played chess excellently. The film has references to all of this, but they are so unobtrusive that the viewer may not pay attention to them. For example, the image of the staircase, which appears many times in the film, was somehow never revealed.

This can be seen as an attempt by the creators to encourage further study of the hero's biography or as a test of knowledge for those "in the know." For example, even a small explanation of boxing awards would provide a better understanding of the film. For instance, the Val Barker Cup is often mentioned. From the narrative, it seems like a separate competition towards which the main character will move. The film ends with the Tokyo Olympics. And here's the question: "What about the cup?" The thing is, the cup has been awarded based on the results of the Olympic Games since 1936.

But, despite these shortcomings, the result is a film that once again gives the opportunity to believe in the strength of our athletes, will make you sit on the edge of your seat for the last 20 minutes of the final fight, worrying about every blow of Valery. The release date – February 23 – is a wonderful confirmation that defenders of the Fatherland exist in all spheres of life, not only in military service.