Red Army
A charismatic Soviet hockey captain recounts how athletic glory became a personal and political battleground.
Overview
A gripping exploration of sports and politics through the lens of a legendary hockey team.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- None
- witty
- energetic
- poignant
- sports movie night
- history documentary viewing
What critics said
Critics broadly praised the documentary as an absorbing, playful, and poignant account of Soviet hockey that connects sporting achievement to political and cultural history.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The Red Army hockey team's rise and decline are paralleled with the Soviet Union's political and cultural transformation.
Slava Fetisov's transformation from national sports hero to political adversary forms the documentary's central personal arc.
The film situates Soviet hockey within Cold War rivalry and the symbolic contest between Soviet and Western systems.
Fetisov and former players recount the team's history while archival material evokes the Soviet and Russian periods.
Films like Red Army, and why
When We Were Kings
sports documentary using charismatic athletes, competition, and national politics to explore identity and historical change
The Last Dance
absorbing sports documentary built around an elite team, a commanding leader, institutional pressure, and competitive mythology
Hoop Dreams
biographical sports documentary connecting athletic ambition with social structures, institutional power, and personal sacrifice
Diego Maradona
politically engaged documentary portrait of a celebrated sports figure whose public life reflects major cultural and historical forces
Movie Details
- Director
- Gabe Polsky
- Release Date
- 2015-01-23
- Runtime
- 85 min
- Rating
- 7.3 / 10 (159)
Cast
- Viacheslav Fetisov
- Vladimir Pozner
- Vladimir Krutov
- Alex Kasatonov
- Vladislav Tretiak
- Felix Nechepore
- Tatiana Tarasova
- Scotty Bowman
- Herb Brooks
- Don Cherry
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Red Army about?
- A charismatic Soviet hockey captain recounts how athletic glory became a personal and political battleground.
- What is Red Army like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Red Army as brisk, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Red Army violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in Red Army.
- What did critics think of Red Army?
- Critics broadly praised the documentary as an absorbing, playful, and poignant account of Soviet hockey that connects sporting achievement to political and cultural history.
- Which films are like Red Army?
- Films with a similar feel include When We Were Kings, The Last Dance, Hoop Dreams, and Diego Maradona.
- How long is Red Army?
- Red Army runs 85 minutes.
- Where can I watch Red Army?
- In United States, Red Army is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home.
