This is based on a true story about two Mormon missionaries, Elder Propst and Elder Tuttle, who were one day kidnapped and held for ransom while serving in Russia. They were held hostage for five days when, without really spoiling anything, something short of a miracle occurs.
'The Saratov Approach' is a very well made film, with some really good performances and a convincing sense of dread and hopelessness. And how do the kidnapped missionaries get through it? They play it straight, going through simple, casual talk, debate about their favorite basketball teams, players and so on. Are they scared for their lives? Yes, but they try not to show it. They may not understand why they are in this situation, but they go along with it anyway, hoping they will find deliverance in the end.
Most of my life, I haven't been the most fond of 'Mormon Cinema', seeing how most of the movies seem to satirize Mormon culture and poke too much fun at it, giving little attempt at actually showing the world what the church really stands for. Not to say there aren't a few Mormon produced films that are actually good. In the tradition of 'Saints and Soldiers' (2003) and 'The Best Two Years' (2004), 'The Saratov Approach' is a smart, mature film that plays not only for Mormon audiences, but for audiences who are not of the faith as well. I believe it's a film that can resonate with anybody, whether religious or not.
It has discussions on the subject of religion, without getting too preachy. It debates the logic of human doubts and faith, yet never becomes too pretentious. Almost everything is balanced out real well, from being a tense thriller, to an inspirational drama. I do wish that the musical score could have been toned down a little bit in certain scenes, but that's one of the very few complaints I have about the movie.
The film is supposedly set for a nationwide release pretty soon. If that's indeed the case, I would very much recommend seeing 'The Saratov Approach'.
My rating: 3.5 / 4
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