5 Days of War explained

5 Days of War
Director:Renny Harlin
Producer:Renny Harlin
George Lascu
David Imedo
Mirza Davitaia
Koba Nakopia
Starring:Andy García
Val Kilmer
Richard Coyle
Emmanuelle Chriqui
Rupert Friend
Johnathon Schaech
Dean Cain
Rade Šerbedžija
Antje Traue
Heather Graham
Mikheil Gomiashvili
Mikko Nousiainen
Music:Trevor Rabin
Cinematography:Checco Varese
Editing:Brian Berdan
Studio:RexMedia
Distributor:Anchor Bay Entertainment (US)
Runtime:113 minutes
Country:United States
Language:English
Georgian
Russian
Budget:$12 million
Gross:$316,944[1]

5 Days of War is a 2011 war film directed by Renny Harlin.[2] The story is about the Russo-Georgian War[3] over the Russian-backed breakaway autonomous republic of South Ossetia in Georgia, including the events leading up to the conflict.

The film was released in Georgia as 5 Days of August, and in other countries as 5 Days of War and also City on Fire.

Plot

In 2007, during the Iraq War, a Georgian contingent of the coalition forces saves the life of American reporter Thomas Anders (Rupert Friend), although one of his colleagues (Heather Graham) is killed in the process. One year later, in 2008, he returns to Los Angeles, California but soon goes to Georgia on the advice of some of his friends in Tbilisi, who suspect that a large conflict is brewing. He, along with his cameraman Sebastian Ganz (Richard Coyle), delve deeper into Georgian life as conflict escalates and they get caught in the crossfire when an air raid strikes a local wedding they stumble upon. With members of the wedding party (Emmanuelle Chriqui), and the help of a Georgian soldier (Johnathon Schaech) who had earlier saved them in Iraq, their mission becomes getting their footage of an atrocity by Russian irregulars out of the country. But they find themselves faced with international apathy due to the opening of the 2008 Olympic Games. Their flight leads them to the Gori.

The film ends with a long series of testimonials from Georgian citizens who lost family members during the conflict.

Cast

Production

Filming started in October 2009, in Tbilisi. Filming took 36 days with a budget of 12 million dollars.[6]

According to Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili, the film was not financed by the Georgian government; however one of the producers, David Imedashvili, said that the initial funding for the project came from a Georgian government fund.[7] According to Georgian media the movie was financed by Koba Nakopia,[8] a parliamentarian from the ruling United National Movement[9] party of Saakashvili. Also credited as producer are director Renny Harlin, George Lascu and Mirza Davitaia, who served as Georgian State Minister for "diaspora issues" from 2009 to 2012, who at the time of filming was the Georgian Deputy Minister, Ministry of Culture, Monument Protection and Sports.[10] [11] [12]

One of the buildings of the Georgian Presidential administration was used for filming parts of 5 Days of War. Some members of the special effects team were Russian and had previously worked on Night Watch. The military equipment and personnel used in the film were lent by the Georgian army.[13]

Release

Reception

On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 34% based on 35 reviews, with an average rating of 4.44/10.[22] On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 31 out of 100, based on 14 critics, indicating "generally unfavorable reviews".[23] Both Bloomberg and The Washington Post gave it a one-star rating.[24] [25]

5 Days of War opened in limited release in the United States on August 19, 2011 in two theatres in New York City and Washington D.C. It grossed $6,254 in its opening weekend.[26]

The film was vehemently denounced by the government of South Ossetia with their Minister of Media, Georgiy Kabisov, calling it "Hitler propaganda" and the people that made it as "Nazis." Kabisov also went on to say that the Georgian people and government where "spiteful aggressors" and that the film rejects the "truth" of the war.[27]

Home media

5 Days of War was released on DVD (Region 2)[28] and Blu-ray (Region B)[29] on June 13, 2011.[30] The DVD is a one-disc set. The Blu-ray is a one-disc set that includes DTS-HD 5.1 sound, as well as subtitles, in English, German and French.[31]

Bibliography

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 5 DAYS OF WAR. Box Office Mojo. December 25, 2012.
  2. Book: Smith, Ian Hayden . International Film Guide 2012 . 2012 . 978-1908215017 . 122.
  3. Web site: Renny Harlin Exclusive Interview . June 14, 2011 . June 17, 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110616142048/http://www.femalefirst.co.uk/movies/Renny+Harlin-10251.html . June 16, 2011.
  4. News: Georgia: Hollywood takes over Tbilisi for film about war with Russia. Lomsadze. Giorgi. Sophia . Mizante . October 21, 2009. Georgian Daily reprinted from Eurasianet.org. June 6, 2011.
  5. Web site: Mikheil Gomiashvili . dead . 2017-03-04 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160305013119/http://www.nytimes.com/movies/person/1737636/Mikheil-Gomiashvili . Movies & TV Dept. . . 2016 . 2016-03-05 .
  6. Web site: Luke . Savage . Renny Harlin interview: 5 Days Of War, The Long Kiss Goodnight, and directing low-budget war films . 27 May 2009 . June 17, 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20110722200203/http://www.denofgeek.com/movies/938756/renny_harlin_interview_5_days_of_war_the_long_kiss_goodnight_and_directing_lowbudget_war_films.html . July 22, 2011 . live .
  7. News: Russia and Georgia Go to War Again — on Screen. https://archive.today/20130923234244/http://www.time.com/time/arts/article/0,8599,1944601,00.html?xid=rss-arts. dead. September 23, 2013. Shuster. Simon. December 4, 2009. Time. July 1, 2011.
  8. Web site: Media.ge . Media.ge . February 14, 2018 . February 15, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180215023711/http://www.media.ge/en/node/41573 . dead .
  9. Web site: საქართველოს პარლამენტი . Parliament.ge . February 14, 2018.
  10. Web site: Cannes - 19th May. www.thebusinessoffilmdaily.com. May 10, 2020.
  11. News: Hollywood's take on the Russia-Georgia war . June 21, 2011 . economist.com . July 1, 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110624021704/https://www.economist.com/blogs/easternapproaches/2011/06/film-georgia . June 24, 2011 . live .
  12. Web site: 5 Days of August: High on beauty, short on substance?. Georgian America. Georgia Today. August 19, 2011. March 20, 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20120320192205/http://georgianamerica.com/eng/news/5_days_of_august__high_on_beauty__short_on_substance_3011. dead.
  13. Web site: An Exclusive Interview With Renny Harlin on 5 Days of War . Heyuguys.co.uk . June 13, 2011 . June 13, 2011.
  14. http://vestnikkavkaza.net/news/culture/14551.html Sharon Stone's charity evening in Tbilisi collects about $1 million
  15. Web site: "5 Days of August" Premiere in Tbilisi, Georgia - Movie Premieres . Zimbio . June 13, 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110728015545/http://www.zimbio.com/Movie+Premieres/articles/XPua7iUoy9t/5+Days+August+Premiere+Tbilisi+Georgia . July 28, 2011 . dead .
  16. Web site: Check out the crowd at the premiere of 5 Days of War in Tbili... on Twitpic . Twitpic.com . June 6, 2011 . June 13, 2011.
  17. Web site: 5 Days of War - Premiere Report on MSN Video . Video.uk.msn.com . June 13, 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20110611042613/http://video.uk.msn.com/watch/video/5-days-of-war-premiere-report/xdd629wp . June 11, 2011 . dead .
  18. Web site: 5 Days of War London Premiere Pictures . Monsters and Critics . June 9, 2011 . June 13, 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20110614085943/http://www.monstersandcritics.com/movies/features/article_1644637.php/5-Days-of-War-London-Premiere-Pictures . June 14, 2011 . dead .
  19. Web site: Показ "Пять дней августа" в кинотеатрах Тбилиси продлится около месяца | Культура | Новости-Грузия . Newsgeorgia.ru . June 13, 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120312085828/http://www.newsgeorgia.ru/culture/20110606/213979325.html . March 12, 2012. dead .
  20. Web site: 5 Days of War - Directed by Renny Harlin | Rupert Friend, Val Kilmer, Andy Garcia, Dean Cain, Emmanuelle Chriqui, Heather Graham | Film . indieWIRE . June 13, 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20110624072132/http://www.indiewire.com/film/5_days_of_war/ . June 24, 2011 . live .
  21. Web site: 5 dni wojny . Filmweb.pl . April 27, 2012.
  22. Web site: 5 Days of War (2011). Rotten Tomatoes. May 10, 2020.
  23. Web site: 5 Days of War Reviews. Metacritic. May 10, 2020.
  24. News: Warner. Rick. Renny Harlin's Phony Russian Baddies. Bloomberg L.P.. August 19, 2011. August 19, 2011.
  25. News: DeFore. John. 5 Days of War. https://web.archive.org/web/20110820161546/http://www.washingtonpost.com/gog/movies/5-days-of-war,1209292/critic-review.html. dead. August 20, 2011. The Washington Post. August 19, 2011. August 19, 2011.
  26. Web site: 5 Days of War (2011). Box Office Mojo. 23 September 2011.
  27. Web site: Georgy Kabisov: Everybody knows who is an aggressor – including the West . . 4 September 2023.
  28. Web site: Five Days of War [DVD]: Amazon.co.uk: Rupert Friend, Emmanuelle Chirqui, Richard Coyle, Val Kilmer, Andy Garcia, Renny Harlin, Mikko Alanne: Film & TV |publisher=Amazon.co.uk |date=September 9, 2009 |access-date=June 13, 2011].
  29. Web site: Five Days of War [Blu-ray]: Amazon.co.uk: Rupert Friend, Emmanuelle Chirqui, Richard Coyle, Val Kilmer, Andy Garcia, Renny Harlin, Mikko Alanne: Film & TV |publisher=Amazon.co.uk |date=September 9, 2009|access-date=June 13, 2011].
  30. Web site: 5 Days of War – DVD Review . Heyuguys.co.uk . June 13, 2011 . June 13, 2011.
  31. Web site: 5 Days of War. Amazon Germany . June 9, 2011.

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "5 Days of War".

Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2024, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.