I have had a fascination with war since I was young. The chaos, brutality, and death, but also the urgency, beauty of teamwork, and heroism. There was a book fair back in the day at my elementary school, and I was fixated on buying a colorful book that was all about weapons and warfare. The librarian was quite concerned about selling me the book, given my young age at the time, even in different times before all of the school shootings that have become all too commonplace. I still believe that it’s natural for us to be intrigued by warfare at any age.
All of these years later, I haven’t shaken that feeling of wanting to know about war without having to experience the horrors. Enter Mstyslav Chernov’s documentary 2000 Meters to Andriivka, a harrowing journey following a Ukrainian platoon’s mission to trek through a heavily fortified mile (aka 2000 meters) of forest to free a strategic village from Russian forces. Journalist Mstyslav Chernov accompanied them, risking his life to be on the frontlines and capture it all, including the soldiers’ thoughts and feelings.
The battle scenes are so surreal that it feels like you’re watching a game such as Call of Duty, rather than the reality of war. It comes so fast and furious, and cruelly. One soldier describes it as “being on a planet where it feels like everything is trying to kill you” (which is also coincidentally how Predator: Badlands was described at San Diego Comic Con). When a suicide drone takes people out with an explosion, it doesn’t feel fair, but that is war.
“A harrowing journey following a Ukrainian platoon’s mission to trek through a heavily fortified mile.”
The scenes that stick out for me the most are when we get to know certain soldiers, such as the one who goes by “Freak,” and then we hear a voiceover by Chernov telling us how and when they later died. It is reminiscent of the American Graffiti postscript, but much grimmer.
There are moments of hope, such as when one soldier posits that Ukraine will be able to start anew once this war is over. They will be able to rebuild out of the ashes and remake it all without Russian influence. That’s the optimistic side, whereas others naturally wonder if this war will ever end or worry about their wife and families worrying about them.
I think with a lot of things in life, as a society, we are more “out of sight, out of mind.” We all know about this war, but until you actually see it, it’s difficult to grasp. That’s why 2000 Meters to Andriivka is so important, people need to know what is going on.
The Ukrainians have a nickname for the Russians, which is the curse word “motherfuckers.” They ask a wounded one why he came to invade their land. The Russian replied that he doesn’t even know why. And that is war in a nutshell. Russians die horrific deaths in battle, and for what? It’s clear to the Ukrainians that they must protect their homeland, and in this case, they strive for 2000 meters of danger to do it.
"…important..."
