... should have been made by the people who made Kin Dza Dza-- which is very much in the style/genre of the Hitch-Hiker's books, radio, and TV series created by Douglas Adams (but not the Hollywood movie), since they all have the guts AND the smarts to lampoon their own culture/ civilization.The difference being, instead of a quintessential Brit (Arthur Dent of the books, radio and TV series-- not the movie), Kin Dza Dza features a quintessential Russian of the late Soviet Era who is always acting tough and trying to bluff his way through every alien situation-- all the while burning through his only trade-able resource by the sheer absent-minded force of habit. Not to mention that what got our protagonist into trouble in the first place, was his hubris in trying to call the bluff of an alien-- when he really should be getting some macaroni for the missus....And true to his character, he continues making clever AND bad decision throughout the movie with an imperturbable air of irritation and authority. Oh, and there's a Georgian who gets caught up in the sequence of events, even though everyone keeps advising the Russian to dump him.Ah, the overt racism that the Soviets had to live with in an alien world-- where everyone looks no different from them-- forcing them to make a living as caricatured entertainment for the aliens.... But this is just the first part of the movie! The Soviets eventually figure out how to outsmart the mind-reading aliens-- who naturally never allow themselves think of the truth-- by thinking up bad moves which the aliens immediately act on, since they are so used to second-guessing people.Sigh, those good old days of satirical sci-fi, before people started losing the ability to look AND laugh at themselves-- highly recommended to anyone who still knows what satire is.

The movie is quite depressing - because it (metaphorically) depicts how Russians (and many other countries) lived back in 80's. What is more depressing - very little has changed in Russia (and the whole world) 23 years later. The Danelia's symbolism applies to many traits of the modern society. For instance, in the movie colored pants show social status the same way as designer clothing, expensive cars and real estate do it in our reality.A spectator who speaks both Russian and Georgian has a definite advantage, because many of the made-up alien words have Georgian roots. I am not sure of the subtitles are adequate in this case. If I could ignore all the cultural references and loaded words - I would probably find this flick amusing.

To the person from Russia to speak about this film easier. I am pleasantly surprised, that this film is pleasant to foreigners. I also am pleasantly surprised, that foreigners protect this film from fools. Thanks! To look this film it is necessary slowly, it is necessary to listen and understand, that actors speak. In this film plays great Russian actor Leonov, play talented actors Yakovlev and Lyubshin. I wish to remind, that the native land of modern realistic actor's school is Russia.The director of film - an outstanding director of cinema of the USSR. The brilliant script is written by the director together with Gabriadze.It is very complex to look film with subtitles. But, in my opinion, it is a unique way to keep film in an original kind. Dear ladies and gentlemen! My advice: look this film, one of the best films of my Native land.

If you want to have an idea of what it is - well, it's a kind of Soviet HGTTG. However, the cultural basis of HGTTG (all this British towel-and-robe-and-almost-but-not-quite-entirely-unlike-tea stuff) is much easier to understand for an average Western person compared to the Soviet culture of this movie. Also, it's a much darker comedy compared to HGTTG - but I think everyone knows Russians rarely smile...You expect it to be funny? No, there are too many cultural references, too many hard-to-translate jokes. And the available translations are hardly close to giving you a hint on what this movie is about. Maybe there exists a good translation somewhere, adapted to western world and still retaining the humor, but I haven't seen it yet.You expect some good sci-fi? No, it's got crappy special effects, no action, and there are huge holes in the plot in everything relating to sci-fi. You will be cursing about stupid and illogical usage of things like "planet", "galaxy" and "instant travel" all the time. There's even less of sci-fi in it than in HGTTG.However, if you're adventurous, open, if you want to learn something new, and if you like movies not for special effects but for the pieces of soul the directors, the writers and the actors put into them, and for their efforts to make you think - try this movie, it won't fail you.Also, it is a cult classic in Russia, and millions of Russian fans just cannot be wrong :)It's best to learn Russian first, of course :)