Guardians – Zashchitniki (2017)

Directed by: Sarik Andreasyan | 100 minutes | action, adventure, science fiction | Actors: Anton Pampushnyy, Sanjar Madi, Sebastien Sisak, Alina Lanina, Stanislav Shirin, Valeriya Shkirando, Vyacheslav Razbegaev, Nikolay Shestak, Marusya Klimova, Vladimir Butenko, Mila Maksimova, Dmitriy Savyanenko, Igor Maslov, Aleksandr Semyonov

The Russian answer to the American superhero empire Marvel, that’s how ‘Guardians’ praises themselves. That response does not come out of the blue. Many superheroes have a political origin. Take Marvel’s most archetypal superhero Captain America. His name alone shows an ingrained patriotism. The hero came to life during World War II and immediately fought the Nazis in his first comic appearance. With Captain America as the undisputed victor. With the renewed tensions between West and East, it is not surprising that Russia also wants to play its part in the superhero bag.

That is not enough. The plot is simple. During World War II, Russia conducts genetic experiments on its citizens. That does not lead to much success. The secret project, called patriot, is shut down after a few years. Only researcher August Kuratov continues the investigation, underground. For years nothing is heard of the scholar. Until he returns, bursting with strength. In revenge, he turns against the country that has robbed him of his dreams. A quickly assembled team of four mutant superheroes, more or less successful creations of Kuratov himself, must save the country from disaster. That’s all. All heroes carry a piece of personal history with them. And a scene where they are allowed to cultivate that past overly sentimental.

Visually, ‘Guardians’ has little to do with either. The effects are acceptable, but are in the shadow of what is possible elsewhere in the world. The frequent use of slow motion and fast editing disguise a flawed direction. The acting and dialogues are quite deadly, as are the multiple explanatory scenes. In the opening scene, for example, the viewer is taken to a military meeting where a rather convulsive overview is given of how Kuratov has become the way he is. Then, one by one, the heroes are introduced. It’s not really fluid at all. The film is also full of grand gestures and symbolism. The music is bombastic. Subtlety is far away. The genre conventions are also dutifully followed. All in all, the film is not bad copied. But then of the superhero films as they were made roughly thirty years ago.

However, this is an interesting movie. ‘Guardians’ emphatically hints at the heyday of the Soviet Union. A time before the breakup of Greater Russia. When the country, including the later apostate states, still formed one whole. In short, a country that current President Putin likes to dream of. It is not for nothing that the four superheroes all seem to have different origins within that great Russian empire. But only by working together can they eventually defeat their opponent. Or, more precisely, they can only succeed in their mission by becoming spiritually one. Unification conquers all. And afterwards, the national leaders will rebuild. The political agenda is undeniably present.

It also fits with the idea that skirmishes between Russia on the one hand and the rest of the world on the other are fought out digitally. It used to be about who could build the best Space Shuttles. Now their own superiority is being propagated on the silver screen. Film as (conscious or unconscious) propaganda. That villain Kuratov wants to take control of a few satellites with the help of a communication transmitter fits in with this. Today’s international conflicts are mainly communication disputes.

In addition to the authentic Russian version, there is also an American dubbed adaptation of the film in circulation. Ironically enough, that version does not show that Russian nationalism as well. As if the Americans wanted to have the last word in this superhero battle.