Three Seconds
A determined Soviet basketball team challenges American supremacy in a tense, historically grounded recreation of the 1972 Olympic final.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- None
- inspiring
- patriotic
- tense
- sports movie night
- olympics viewing
What critics said
Critics in the Russian press largely praised the film as an engaging sports drama that prioritizes teamwork, coherent storytelling, and spectacle, while some responses were only moderately positive.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The film foregrounds the Soviet team's cohesion and coordinated play rather than presenting victory as the achievement of one charismatic player.
The 1972 Soviet-American Olympic final is presented as a contest carrying significance beyond basketball during the Cold War.
The plot concentrates on the three seconds remaining when the Americans lead by one point and expect victory.
The production uses impressive visual effects and a large-scale recreation of an Olympic basketball final.
Films like Three Seconds, and why
Miracle
historical sports drama centered on teamwork, national pride, and an iconic championship under pressure
Hoosiers
uplifting underdog sports drama emphasizing collective discipline and a climactic international contest
Coach Carter
emotionally charged sports drama built around coaching, team cohesion, and high-stakes competition
Movie Details
- Director
- Anton Megerdichev
- Release Date
- 2017-12-28
- Runtime
- 133 min
- Rating
- 6.8 / 10 (186)
Cast
- Vladimir Mashkov
- Ivan Kolesnikov
- Viktoriya Tolstoganova
- Marat Basharov
- Andrey Smolyakov
- Sergey Garmash
- John Savage
- Andrius Paulavičius
- Aleksandra Revenko
- Jay Bowdy
Common questions
- What is Three Seconds about?
- A determined Soviet basketball team challenges American supremacy in a tense, historically grounded recreation of the 1972 Olympic final.
- What is Three Seconds like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Three Seconds as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Three Seconds violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in Three Seconds.
- What did critics think of Three Seconds?
- Critics in the Russian press largely praised the film as an engaging sports drama that prioritizes teamwork, coherent storytelling, and spectacle, while some responses were only moderately positive.
- Which films are like Three Seconds?
- Films with a similar feel include Miracle, Hoosiers, and Coach Carter.
- How long is Three Seconds?
- Three Seconds runs 133 minutes.
