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The Flight of Mr. McKinley
Бегство мистера Мак-Кинли
1975 162 min Soviet Union 12+
★6.9
Science Fiction
Director: Mikhail Shvejtser
Trailers
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Description
A man decides to escape into the future by the way of hibernation. When he wakes up, feeling lucky that the experiment worked out well, the staff of the hibernation company politely walks him to the outside were he finds a post atomic war desert… He wakes up! Thank God it was just a dream! Or was it?
Starring
Donatas Banionis
Actor
Zhanna Bolotova
Actor
Angelina Stepanova
Actor
Key opinion
The film is a polarizing Soviet science fiction piece that functions more as a philosophical parable on human values than a traditional genre work. While many critics admire the sincere performances and the inclusion of Vladimir Vysotsky's music, the long runtime and didactic, ideology-tinged narrative lead to significant disagreements regarding its lasting impact and engagement.
| Acting | Donatas Banionis delivers a poignant, nuanced performance as the "small man" McKinley, anchoring the film with his portrayal of existential anxiety and moral struggle. | |
| Score | Vladimir Vysotsky’s original songs are widely considered a highlight, effectively integrating into the film's atmosphere and providing a necessary emotional subtext. | |
| Pacing | The film’s nearly three-hour runtime is a point of contention: supporters find the contemplative, slow-burn pacing rewarding, while critics argue it lacks dynamics and feels exhausting. | |
| Theme | Opinions on the film's ideological core are divided; some view it as a meaningful, relevant critique of consumerism and Western dystopia, while others dismiss it as an outdated piece of state-commissioned propaganda. | |
| Direction | The direction is respected for its ambition and thematic layering, such as the parallels to Dostoevsky, though some find the overall production overly artificial and heavy-handed in its message. |