My annual dabble with a Tartovsky film usually leaves me somewhat bored and conscious of the sheer length of time I am sitting stationary. 'The Sacrifice' was different. The premise of nuclear war held my attention and the plot development half way through held me to the end.

Wait, this film wasn't seriously going to depict a pervy old man ratinalise bedding (or worse) his maid in an attempt to save the world? It still makes me chuckle just thinking about it.

And was it intentional that after making a sacrifice to save his family, that they are presented as deeply unpleasant individuals (i.e. that it was not a sacrifice worth making).

The quest for a Tartovsky film that grabs me continues. Andrey Rublev 2020!

4/10