There’s a scene in “Red Army” where the central figure seeks the assistance of an elderly mentor and puts a young child on his shoulders to use as a training weight.
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It could be straight out of “Rocky IV.” It’s not.
That moment is from the life of legendary hockey player Viacheslav Fetisov, who captained one of the greatest teams ever at the height of its power.
The story from director and suburban Chicago native Gabe Polsky comes down to this: The players on that powerhouse succeeded because of, as well as in spite of, the Soviet philosophy and Cold War backdrop. Which makes “Red Army,” and how its best players struggled with patriotism and their own dreams, as compelling as any Stanley Cup Final.
The calling card of Russian hockey flies in the face of the phrase “Soviet system.” It suggests the players were drones when in reality they played like five Patrick Kanes—even defensemen like Fetisov were prolific scorers. Their goal was to create ballet on the ice, encouraging creativity while playing as a unit.
Now, the process through which the Red Army achieved that success—going a two-year stretch in the 1980s without losing a single game—is startling.
Imagine if the Blackhawks were forced to practice 11 months out of the year, rarely getting to see their families. Or if clandestine agents were strategically inserted into their social circles, beating the players if they stepped out of line. Or if and when they chose to play in a foreign country, 90 percent of their salaries were funneled to the government.
There would be outrage, regardless of the results those methods may produce. Yet this was the Russian players’ dilemma: compete for your country and be hailed a hero, or turn your back on those in power and be considered an outcast.
Without sternly pointing a finger at North America and saying, “Don’t judge these guys before you know their side of the story,” “Red Army” shines light on a team universally respected but rarely understood. Beyond the game footage, the video of players practicing and even old interviews is jaw-dropping in some respects.
Near the end of the movie, Fetisov reflects on winning the Stanley Cup in Detroit after being reunited with several of his friends from previous Olympic teams. Even die-hard Blackhawks fans would have a hard time not being happy for the Red Wings for a moment, and that’s saying an awful lot.
Chris Sosa is RedEye’s sports editor. @redeyesportschi
4 stars out of 4
“Red Army” opens Friday at the Music Box and AMC River East 21 theaters in Chicago, as well as other locations in the area.