The Beast of War
1988
Daskal: Out of commission, become a pillbox. Out of ammo, become a bunker. Out of time, become heroes.
Koverchenko: You're a good soldier, Anton. You can be counted on when they tell you to shoot your own mother.
Koverchenko: Well, sir, the roadwheel's cracked. Kaminski drank our brakes. We're low on petrol. The battery's low. We're losing oil. If the engine heats up it's gonna seize. The terrain, obviously against us. We have no rations. The Mujas behind us don't seem to run on rations, petrol, or anything we know of. And they have an RPG. Their aim is getting better. Sir.
Koverchenko: I tried to be a good soldier. But you can't be a good soldier in a rotten war, sir.
Daskal: Get back in the tank. Kaminski: What for? Daskal: Because I said so. Golikov: We're going home, sir. Daskal: Yeah. In the tank. Kaminski: Why can't we go home in the fucking helicopter? Daskal: Because you're tankers.
Helicopter pilot: Today's your lucky day. If we hadn't been out here looking for water we wouldn't have found you guys. Go ahead and climb aboard, I'll call in an airstrike on the tank. Daskal: Nobody wastes my tank...
(Koverchenko and Daskal are in the tank removing a dud shell from the cannon breech) Daskal: Just tell me one thing; why do you stick up for the Afghan? Koverchenko: Because he's doing the best he can, sir. Daskal: That's what worries me. (he then opens the cannon breech as the dud shell falls out into Koverchenko's arms)
(Golikov and Kaminski are walking back to the tank carrying fuel cans from the helicopter as Daskal watches them from behind the tank's machine gun) Golikov: What are we doing? Why don't we make a run for it? Kaminski: Are you crazy? He'd shoot us right out of the sky!
(agreeing to help the Mujahadeen) Koverchenko: Yeah, I'll kaboom tank.
(in Arabic) Moustafa: A crow can speak a word. But a crow is not a man and neither is a Russian.
Daskal: You know, I read your dossier, Mr Intellectual. What do you think it says about you? Koverchenko: That I think for myself. Daskal: You think for yourself. When I was eight years old, defending Stalingrad, I didn't 'think for myself.' When the Motherland asked for our lives, we GAVE. My mother didn't think of herself, she GAVE! My father didn't think of himself, he GAVE. My brother didn't think of himself, he GAVE. My comrades tied a rope around my waist and lowered me on top of Nazi tanks. I stuffed molotovs under turrets and cannon, and they pulled me back up again. Eight years old! I took a lot of Nazi tanks. A lot. And over the years I've learned to smell a traitor.
Daskal: Your insubordination has gotten you demoted from intelligence to rescue operations to this tank. Your next stop is prison.
Kaminski: I need a woman! Golikov: Maybe you'll find another sheep. Kaminski: Maybe I will!
Kaminski: You better watch your ass, Koverchenko. You know, sometimes Afghan snipers pick off tank drivers. Koverchenko: Sometimes tank drivers pick 'em off first, Kaminski.
Taj: You said you could destroy the tank in one shot! Moustafa: Maybe it was not the will of Allah. Taj: Maybe you are just a bad shot!
Koverchenko: Sorry sir, not much of a war. No Stalingrad. How is it that we're the Nazis this time? How is that?
Moustafa: Such unmanliness makes revenge unclean. Move aside and I will kill them all!
Daskal: This time your insubordination is going get you a court martial! Koverchenko: So will killing your own men, sir!
Taj: I will not fight alongside scavengers who pick gold from the teeth of dead Russians!
Daskal: 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 what was left back to our lines. These tanks today are better. Much better.
Taj: (in Pashtun, to Koverchenko) Eat. Sherina: (in Pashtun, to Koverchenko) Choke.