AFGHANISTAN, 1981
THE SECOND YEAR OF THE RUSSIAN INVASION
Spread out.
Move it.
Get your weapon out, Golikov.
Kaminski.
Move it.
Over here, over here.
Kaminski.
-T5447, what's your status? -Mopping up, almost done.
All units rejoin the column.
I got them.
Did you get them sheep? There's only a couple left....
T5447. Roger, six.
-Behind this building over there-- -Got a souvenir!
Give me the flamethrower.
What you got?
-Come to me! Over this way! -On my way.
Golikov, come on over here. Bring that cyanide.
Where's the extra satchels?
Molotov!
I'm burning!
-You owe me. -Bring him.
Come on, get his arm. Come on, come on!
Move it!
You son of a bitch! You're dead!
Put him under the track.
-Get your feet under there. -Do you want me to kick him?
You can't kill my friends!
-Mount and crank it up. -We're gonna squash you like a grape.
Ask him where the other rebels are.
Where are the rebels?
Mujahedeen are all around you!
Ten Russian dogs will die for every Afghan!
-What did he say? -He does not know, sir.
Tell them to stop!
No further!
Let him go!
Sherina! I order you away from here!
Bitch!
This commander prefers bullets to words. Go!
Traitor!
Tell your shit eater of a commander to let him go!
Sir, these women humbly beg you for the prisoner, sir.
You tell them to watch what happens to rebels.
Do it, Koverchenko.
He is to be my husband!
No Russian will escape Afghanistan!
Forward!
Allah is the only God...!
-Directions, sir? -Right fork.
-What? -Right fork.
-Sir, you sure? You said right fork. Do you copy?
-Yes, sir. -T5447, do you copy?
-What's your position? -Why can't they hear us?
T5447, do you copy?
The tank is lost.
No...
We need help.
Taj...
Uncle...
Come on.
Uncle...why?
Retaliation.
Be his mother.
Moustafa!
Salaam, Taj Mohamed.
Cousin, truce.
Greetings, uncle.
I always said, have faith in Allah and keep a hidden pistol.
Every part of me screams to see your blood.
Nothing has changed between us, then.
Taj...
...your father would never dishonor a truce.
What do you want here?
A tank that killed your people is lost in the valley of the Jackal.
I know that valley.
It only has one way in and out.
I come to call upon your honor to avenge Afghanistan.
When Moustafa talks of honor...
...the end of the world is at hand.
Cousin, uncle, we are tired of this ancient vendetta.
Let us take revenge together... We divide the booty.
I will not fight with a scavenger...
...who picks gold from the teeth of dead Russians.
Then run to Pakistan.
I would speak with the Khan.
My father was killed.
My brother Shahzaman is now Khan.
Your brother was martyred by a Russian tank.
You are now Khan, Taj Mohamed.
My Khan, we would fight with you to avenge Shahzaman.
With this we can destroy the tank!
I know how to work it!
What do you say, Taj?
Your brother did not go to Pakistan...He went to Paradise.
Allah...
Give me a man to tear apart.
From this time forth...
I am a stone in your sling!
Revenge!
-I don't see a village. -I can't raise them.
-Shit! -Come on!
-Sir? -Where the hell are we?
I don't know, sir.
-Where's the Kandahar Road? -I'm not sure, sir.
The Molotov took our radio out. We can receive but not transmit.
Those hills must be here.
-Is Kandahar on the other side? -I'm not sure.
-Base coordinates are 31 degrees-- -You're relieved of your post.
-Give the log to Koverchenko. -Why?
-lncompetence. -What's my function?
None. Give yourself a medal, Koverchenko.
-For what? -Trying to save those tankers.
-Check this side out. -To your post!
Just say, "Yes, sir" and keep out of his way.
-Why'd that rebel laugh at me? -It wasn't at you, he was happy.
You die in a holy war, you go to paradise.
You believe that?
After university, I'm not sure what I believe.
I need a woman!
-Maybe you'll find another sheep. -Maybe.
-Kaminski, turn that music off. -Golikov put it on, sir.
Shit!
Come here, I got something to show you.
-Under siege! -Driver, crank it up!
Gunner!
Troops on the ridge!
Turn power!
-Range? -Three-zero-zero!
What's wrong?
Get it out of here!
-Ready to roll. -Rock forward, go. Go!
-Heads up, Samad. -Traversing!
Up!
-Fire. -On the way.
Let's go!
You said you could kill the tank in one shot!
Maybe it is not the will of Allah.
Or maybe you are a bad shot!
I am Khan!
I demand to be the one to explode the tank!
Give me the RPG!
Your nephew is a hothead, uncle.
We all stay together!
Taj...
Who calls himself Khan is not a Khan.
Patience, Taj.
This is your trial.
Uncle?
It's nothing. A scratch.
Come...
Allah gives us tracks to follow.
Khanzaman! Afzal! Come on!
Only one drank the water, Samad!
I told you to throw that canister far away.
At my command, gunner. Frag.
Move, move, move. Move it.
-Frag is up. -Fire.
On the way.
-Misfire. -Go to manual.
-Misfire. -Out of the tank!
-What happened? -Misfire. I know it's gonna blow.
The shell looked okay to me.
Samad, did you touch that shell?
Yes, sir.
I just handed it-- I handed it to Golikov, sir.
Misfires happen, sir. One in every hundred rounds. Cook-off.
It's the loader's responsibility to unload.
Golikov.
I've never handled a cook-off before.
I will do it, sir.
He doesn't know what he's doing, sir. Let me go.
-All right. Kaminski. -Sir?
Pinpoint the mujas. Don't take your eyes off them.
Koverchenko, Golikov.
Sir, maybe I ought to do this. What if something happens?
Then Kaminski will have his first command.
Just tell me one thing.
Why do you stick up for the Afghan?
Because he's doing the best he can.
That's what worries me.
You've got what it takes. I've seen it.
Just keep your head on straight.
Why don't we just fight?
Because they could put a hole right through us with that RPG.
What happened?
They're gone. Samad just saved their lives.
I didn't do anything.
-Booby-trap that round. -Yes, sir.
Come on, come on.
-Get us out of here. -Moving tank.
We bleed because we are weak for Russian junk.
Your mujahed has no chance to live.
Our uncle is wounded too. Let him stay here with Noor.
My wound will heal when I see the tank explode.
We leave him food and water.
God is great.
Another grave.
The wind covers the tank tracks... we want to return to the village.
You have no village - only "Badal" !
A Holy Man.
David! You have come!
Prophet Mohamed bid me build a fire to light your way.
God willing, with only a stone you will slay The Beast, David!
What Beast?
Goliath!
Look Taj...tank tracks!
Build a fire, sir?
I'm sure you lost those muja fucks, sir.
-Tend to the track, Kaminski. -You got it, sir.
Let me hit that.
It is Pushtunwali. It's the code of honor.
-Pushtunwali. -Three obligations.
First, melmastia: hospitality.
Melmastia.
Second, badal: revenge.
-Badal. -Third, nanawatai:
The obligation to give sanctuary to all those who ask.
-To all? -All.
-Even the enemy? -All.
What if I kill your brother?
And you come for badal, revenge...
...and I ask for nanawatai?
Then I'd be obligated to feed, clothe and protect you.
It's incredibly civilized.
-What is it, nanawatai? -Nanawatai.
-Bread?
Smells like he's been chewing on fucking buffalo shit.
Laszlo...
-...when we get back, transfer out. -I'll win his respect in time.
When the old man gets on your back, you can't shake him off.
Dear Konstantin, I regard this abuse as the price I must pay to learn.
I love Afghanistan, but we are a flea in the tail of a bear.
We must join the 20th century.
When Afghans accept that, I will be there...
...knowing technology and Russian.
-So you're a patriot? -Yes.
So was that rebel. He wanted to keep things the same.
I wish I believed in something that much. I envy him.
-Then why did you crush him? -I had no choice.
-You always have a choice. -She sent nudes of herself?
-Give it to me. -She's got that nympho look.
I got the half I want.
-You son of a bitch. -Get the fuck off me!
-What the hell is going on? -Nothing, sir.
Thanks, Konstantin.
What is this?
-Brake fluid?! -No wonder they don't work.
Keeps me steady on the gun, sir. I filter it through bread.
I add raisins and sugar. It ferments in a few days and gives a good kick.
-Write him up, sir? -Get over here.
For one mistake?
He's the best gunner in the division. Omit it.
It's already done, sir. In ink.
You better watch your ass from now on.
Sometimes Afghan snipers pick off tank drivers.
-Sometimes drivers pick them off first. -Really?
Grenade!
Get down!
Shit!
Where are they?
Don't blow it up!
Kill the Russians underneath, not the tank!
Grenade!
-Open the hatch! -I'm getting slaughtered!
Open the hatch!
I'm bleeding! I'm bleeding!
-lnside! -Get inside.
Get in the tank! Hurry up!
Get us the hell out of here!
Hurry up!
We got a fire on top!
-I'm dying! I'm dying! -I can't see.
Hard right!
Gunner, traverse right, 180!
-I'm dying! -Extinguisher!
Traversing!
I can't see through the fire!
Gunner, identify! Bead on the fire of the campsite.
I can't get elevation.
We can detect anything in a 100-metre radius.
They must have camels or something to keep up.
They really want this tank.
-They just keep coming. -Shut up.
How much longer are we gonna stay?
Till we can see where we're going.
-Crack the hatch, sir? -No.
-Sir, I have to piss. -Hold it.
-Do you have water? -All the canteens were left behind.
-All the rations too. -Great.
-Your pals will feast tonight. -We don't need food and water.
We're safe in here.
My tanks have been hit by everything.
In Mongolia once...
...RPG. Direct hit.
Commander, gunner and turret went flying.
I drove the rest of the tank back.
These tanks today are better.
Much better.
Sir, I can't hold it much longer.
Sir! Sir!
-How many? -20 to 25, they're everywhere.
-Battle stations. -I don't think they see us.
-They're in RPG range. -Wait.
-Gunner, troops, frag. -Frag's up, sir.
-Identify. -I can't identify. It's too dark.
-Go to lR. -lR is busted!
They're all around us, sir.
Standby to traverse left, 360. All weapons fire at my command.
Traverse. Fire!
Cease fire!
All dead, sir.
-Samad. -Sir?
Go verify.
-Move it! -Yes, sir.
Kaminski, stand down.
Koverchenko, get on the co-ax.
-Set Samad in your sights. -What?
Take him now, he's a traitor.
Are you insane?
Your insubordination demoted you from lntelligence to this tank.
Your next stop is prison.
With your record, I wouldn't disobey another order.
Take Samad now.
No.
How many dead?
It's deer, sir.
It's a herd of deer.
The Russian kills just to kill.
-We're leaking oil. -Raise the snorkel, seal the cannon.
-Are we going underwater, sir? -The rebels are following our tracks.
Samad, stop it.
-I'm in my prayers, sir. -Get up.
If I can reconcile dialectical materialism and Allah...
...isn't that my business?
Why don't you trust me? You know I'm a member of the Party.
My son's in Moscow, sir. You think I'd compromise him?
I said get up.
See how deep the river is.
How, sir?
Walk in it.
You don't need that.
-Like ice, sir. -I didn't ask for the temperature.
Is the bottom mud or stone?
Stone.
Why?
-I said why?! -Shut up!
What are you doing?
-Recording this. -Add your name.
-This'll get you a court-martial. -So will killing your own men!
You would have done the same thing.
Samad was waiting for a chance to give this tank to the enemy.
I was too smart for him.
And I didn't study philosophy.
I read your dossier, Mr. lntellectual.
What do you think it says about you?
That I think for myself.
You think for yourself.
When I was 8, defending Stalingrad, I didn't think for myself.
When Russia asked for our lives, we gave.
My father and mother didn't think of themselves, they gave!
My brother didn't think of himself, he gave!
My comrades lowered me on top of Nazi tanks.
I stuffed Molotovs under turret and cannon...
...then they pulled me up again.
They called me Tank Boy.
I took a lot of Nazi tanks.
A lot.
Over the years, I've learned to smell a traitor.
-How bad is it? -You mean the tank?
Do you think he's snapped, huh?
-What are you doing? -What?
You want to be next? Don't talk to him.
-How far can we go? -Not far enough.
We should ditch this bitch...
...dismantle the gun, walk to Kandahar Road!
What are you whispering about?
Kaminski had an interesting idea.
Ditching the tank and walking back.
He's a fucking liar, sir.
As a man who thinks for himself, what do you think?
Well, sir...
...the roadwheel's cracked, he drank our brakes...
...the battery's low, we're losing oil.
If the engine heats up, it'll seize.
We have no rations.
The mujas don't seem to run on anything we know of...
...and they have an RPG.
Their aim is getting better.
You admire them, don't you?
-They've got us on the run. -What do you suggest? Surrender?
That's a direct violation of Soviet military law.
But you're all for it, aren't you? That's mutiny.
Try it!
-Get his weapon. Cover him. -Yes, sir.
Golikov, get some rope.
Now!
Tie him up.
I'll haunt you. I'll be your worst nightmare.
Shut up.
You hear me?
-Don't be an idiot. -I don't believe this.
Hold still, asshole.
-What are we doing? -Shut up!
-Stepped in this one himself. -Fucking lackey.
Fuck.
-Get the logbook. -Yes, sir.
-He doesn't have it. It's in the tank. -Booby-trap him.
-Yes, sir. -Twisted and insane. Don't be an idiot.
Don't move.
If you need anything, just nod.
-Konstantin, I'm sorry. -Anton.
Anton, you're next.
Go blow his brains out, come back and untie me.
-You're next. -I can't.
You hear me, Anton? Don't leave me here. Don't leave me.
-I can't. -Untie me!
You're a good soldier.
They can depend on you to shoot your mother.
Golikov! Goddamn it!
Don't leave me here, you coward!
Golikov, you fuck!
-I think you did the right thing. -I appreciate that, Kaminski.
And I think I speak for all of us when I say that.
What he wrote could close doors for the rest of your lives.
I don't know why you didn't just kill him.
I was trying to buy us some time.
Tank's roomier now, sir.
Sherina!
What are you doing here?
Akbar, we would fight the tank with you.
You have no weapons.
Get back to the village, woman! ...Go!
Uncle...
...am I fit to be Khan?
To ask that question makes you Khan.
When The Beast is dead, we will return.
I will be waiting.
There it is. Kandahar Road.
Kaminski, we're home!
We're almost out of petrol.
-Make it to the road. -Yes, sir.
-Stop tank. -What?
Stop tank. Stop tank!
Sir, I'm sure I can make it, it's only--
Please....
Untie my hands.
Afghan women, turn your grief to stone!
Stop!
Jesus. Stop!
Please, stop. Stop!
Nanawatai!
Sherina, how did you find us?
It was Allah's will...
We found him tied to the rock.
You take the honor, Taj.
Nanawatai!
He asks for mercy.
I teach you another word - Badal! Blood for blood!
Silence, woman!
You speak Afghan?
What's your name?
A crow can speak a word,
but a crow is not a man, and neither is a Russian.
Kill him!
If we dishonor our code and slay him we are no better than the infidels.
...but why was he abandoned by the tank?
Nanawatai is for Afghans.
If he is an enemy of our enemy, then he is a friend.
Let us look to our guest.
Eat.
Choke.
You broke it when you dropped it.
So? David took Goliath with just a stone.
It's an RPG.
It's kaput.
Oh, kaput.
Fix.
I fix, I fix.
-Kaput. -Kaput.
Enfield.
I need Enfield to fix the RPG.
Thanks.
Now he has ruined two of our weapons!
This one is truly sent from Allah!
Kaboom.
Exactly.
That's a tank.
-Tank. -Yeah, tank.
RPG...
...kaboom...
...tank.
RPG kaboom tank.
Da...
...RPG...
...kaboom...
...tank.
He's Russian!
He knows how to use that...
...and they tried to kill him.
Da kaboom tank.
Yeah, I'll kaboom tank.
Come on, man! Come on, get your shit. Let's go!
Hey, you guys!
I can't believe it.
-Where did you guys come from? -Oh, this is beautiful!
-We are so glad to see you guys. -Oh, my God!
If we hadn't been looking for water, we'd have never found you guys.
Climb aboard. I'll call in for a strike on the tank.
Nobody wastes my tank.
Get back in the tank.
-What for? -Because I said so.
-We're going home, sir. -Yes, in the tank.
Why can't we go home in the fucking helicopter?!
Because you're tankers.
Yeah, you're also in a cul-de-sac.
The only way out is back through that pass you came through.
We'll go back the same way we got in.
You got any extra water?
No. You two, load the extra fuel onto the tank.
Radio for more fuel to meet us at the pass.
Jesus, what an asshole!
What are we doing?
-Why don't we make a run for it? -Are you fucking crazy?
He'd shoot us right out of the sky.
The tank is leaving!
The pass... The pass!
It's turning back for the pass!
What, what?
-Tank. -Yeah, I know. What?
Tank.
It's a dead end, it's a dead end.
The pass. He's going to the pass.
Why the pass? Why didn't he get in the helicopter?
The bastard won't leave his tank. He won't leave it.
He's gone. He's gone.
Tank mountains?
Mountains....
He's got to go around to get to the pass.
A shortcut? You know a shortcut?
-Tank. -Shortcut. I understand.
I understand.
Konstantin.
Konstantin! Khan.
-Sir, the engine's hot. -Maintain 20 kilometres an hour.
Sir, the radiator needs water.
-Keep going. -Goddamn it!
The engine's gonna seize up.
Keep going. Waterhole's not far.
You think they radioed back?
Of course they did.
I hate this fucking country.
Fill the radiator.
Battle stations!
Mujahedeen! One thousand metres!
Crank it up.
-Traversing left. -Come on, baby.
Give me power to the tank!
Shit! I can't, sir, she won't start!
Go to master battery!
Shit! The battery's dead, sir!
-Get us out of here! -I'm trying, sir! It's overheated!
Manual traverse left!
Gunner! Frag!
-We're out of frag, sir! -Anything!
I got heat up!
Goddamn it. Come on!
On the way.
Spread out! Spread out!
Up!
On the way!
They're in RPG range, sir!
Come on!
I got it, sir!
Tank! Kaput! Now!
Moustafa! Come on!
I have what I want.
The Beast escapes!
Allah has tossed a peach in our laps - Enjoy it!
Cousin, you are a pig!
Hasan, you are clever.
Can you learn a helicopter?
This way.
Shit!
They can't get us! We're too high!
You son of a bitch!
-Can't get elevation, he knows it. -Who?
-You're mine! -Badal!
-Keep it coming. -Last round, sir!
-Reload! -We're out!
-She's burning up! -Make it to the pass!
Down!
Sir!
Rocket! I need the rocket!
Rocket! Throw!
Throw!
The pass is directly ahead! One hundred metres!
-Faster, Kaminski! -Yes, sir!
It only hit the muzzle!
We made it, sir! We made it!
Allah! Why have you forsaken us?
Goliath was covered with armor, but just a rock brought him down!
Badal!
-We're off the track, sir. -Oh, God.
Make a run for it, sir?
No. The gunships are coming. We're safe in here.
-Fire! -Close it!
Tank Boy!
I said, Tank Boy! I got something for you, Tank Boy!
Koverchenko!
Kind of hot in there?
-Sir, they got us! -Oh, shit!
-We gotta go up! -We're gonna die in here!
-I want you, Tank Boy! -Oh, shit!
You know our standing orders.
What?
Out of commission, become a pillbox. Out of ammo, become a bunker.
Out of time, become heroes.
-You must be out of your fucking mind. -Now, together.
Get the pin.
We're gonna die in here!
-You son of a bitch! -Don't shoot. Don't shoot.
-Son of a bitch, get out! -Don't shoot.
Shit!
Allah is too generous!
I didn't want to leave you out there.
-Take Daskal and let us go. -Please don't let them kill me.
Get up.
Such unmanliness makes revenge unclean.
Nanawatai shuravi.
He will always be Russian.
Move aside and I will kill them all!
Tank kaput. Tank kaput.
Nanawatai shuravi.
Are you an angel or a devil?
Okay, take the boots. Okay, take the helmet.
Okay, take the boots, take the boots.
Sorry, sir.
Not much of a war.
No Stalingrad.
How is it that we're the Nazis this time?
How is that?
I'm trying to be a good soldier.
But you can't be a good soldier in a rotten war, sir.
I want you to live to see them win.
Go.
I said, go!
Badal!
Afghanistan.
I don't understand you.
Konstantin.
Forgive me, my Khan...
Two escaped.