Review

A stark, hallucinatory work that formulates a tormented vision of post-apocalyptic existence. The film revolves around a mysterious, government-restricted "Zone" where a meteor shower has altered the rules of nature, creating an eerie wasteland of mirage and mind-traps. Rumor abounds that within the Zone is a "Room" which holds the "Truth" and can fulfill one's deepest desires, but it is only with the aid of a physically gifted guide, or "Stalker," that the dangerous, forbidden area can be reached. What this nightmarish sci-fi film lacks in pacing is made up in its startling, psychedelic imagery. (Russian with English subtitles)