Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Graphic
- patriotic
- tense
- heroic
- war film marathon
- historical cinema night
What critics said
Critics and viewers broadly regard the film as technically effective, accessible Eastern Front action despite its modest crowdfunding budget and controversy surrounding the historical legend it depicts.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The twenty-eight Soviet soldiers defend the approaches to Moscow against fifty-four German tanks with inadequate anti-tank weapons.
The film dramatizes the Panfilov legend as patriotic sacrifice despite the supplied historical context identifying later challenges to its accuracy.
The plot foregrounds Mosin-Nagant rifles, machine guns, anti-tank grenades, PTRD-41 rifles, snowy terrain, and defensive preparation.
The narrative follows a group of twenty-eight Red Army soldiers and repeatedly frames their dedication to Moscow and the Motherland as communal.
Films like Panfilov's 28 Men, and why
Cross of Iron
shared eastern front war setting, infantry-versus-tank combat, and grim battlefield realism
T-34
shared patriotic military drama, tank warfare, and heroic soldiers facing overwhelming odds
Stalingrad
shared world war ii combat drama, snowbound battlefield atmosphere, and collective sacrifice
Enemy at the Gates
shared historical war setting, tactical combat focus, and emphasis on ordinary soldiers under pressure
Movie Details
- Directors
- Kim Druzhinin, Andrey Shalyopa
- Release Date
- 2016-11-24
- Runtime
- 105 min
- Rating
- 6.8 / 10 (186)
Cast
- Azamat Nigmanov
- Aleksey Morozov
- Yakiv Kucherevskyi
- Oleg Fyodorov
- Aleksej Longin
- Dmitriy Girev
- Amadu Mamadakov
- Andrey Shalyopa
- Pavel Goncharov
- Nikolay Klimchuk
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Cineverse Amazon Channel
- Rent
- Amazon Video
- Buy
- Amazon Video
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Panfilov's 28 Men about?
- A fiercely patriotic Eastern Front combat drama follows twenty-eight Soviet soldiers defending Moscow against a vastly superior German tank column.
- What is Panfilov's 28 Men like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Panfilov's 28 Men as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Panfilov's 28 Men violent?
- Yes. Ember rates the violence in Panfilov's 28 Men as graphic.
- What did critics think of Panfilov's 28 Men?
- Critics and viewers broadly regard the film as technically effective, accessible Eastern Front action despite its modest crowdfunding budget and controversy surrounding the historical legend it depicts.
- Which films are like Panfilov's 28 Men?
- Films with a similar feel include Cross of Iron, T-34, Stalingrad, and Enemy at the Gates.
- How long is Panfilov's 28 Men?
- Panfilov's 28 Men runs 105 minutes.
- Where can I watch Panfilov's 28 Men?
- In United States, Panfilov's 28 Men streams on Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Cineverse Amazon Channel.
