His Nickname Is Beast

His Nickname Is Beast

Year: 1990

Runtime: 88 mins

Language: Russian

Director: Aleksandr Muratov

ActionCrimeDrama

Saveliy Govorkov, an Afghanistan war veteran tries to fight mafia in his own town.

Warning: spoilers below!

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Timeline & Setting – His Nickname Is Beast (1990)

Explore the full timeline and setting of His Nickname Is Beast (1990). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

Late 1980s, Perestroika era

The story is set in the late 1980s during Perestroika, a period of political reform, economic upheaval, and rising organized crime in Russia. The Afghanistan war context adds a grim backdrop as soldiers return home to a lawless, crime-infested landscape. Loyalties shift rapidly as traditional structures erode under pressure from crime and corruption.

Location

Russia, Afghanistan, Saint Petersburg, Moscow, Tayga

Set across Afghanistan and post-Soviet Russia, the film shifts from war zones to crime-dominated cities. Action unfolds in Moscow and Saint Petersburg, including a bank branch and a Tayga prison. The setting underscores a Russia in transition, where reform collides with crime and a new underworld rules.

🗺️ Crime-ridden 🕰️ Perestroika-era 🏙️ Urban-crime 🗝️ Corruption

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 13:10

Main Characters – His Nickname Is Beast (1990)

Meet the key characters of His Nickname Is Beast (1990), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Savely Govorkov (Dmitriy Pevtsov)

A hardened military trooper nicknamed 'The Beast' returning from Afghanistan. He is ruled by a strong sense of justice and a volatile temper, which makes him both formidable and vulnerable in a corrupt world. His honesty clashes with the crime-driven environment, but his loyalty and resilience drive him to protect those he cares about, even at great personal risk.

🪖 Veteran 🗡️ Hot-headed 🛡️ Loyal 💥 Relentless

Alik (Boris Shcherbakov)

A ruthless crime lord who manipulates Govorkov and asserts control over Larissa. He orders constant surveillance and uses women and fear to maintain power. His appetite for dominance drives the plot, pushing him to extremes to protect his empire.

👔 Boss 🔥 Violent 🕸️ Manipulative

Larissa (Tatyana Skorokhodova)

A woman whose association with Alik sparks Govorkov’s protective instincts. She moves through danger with a fragile, hidden resilience, visiting a mysterious professor and revealing hints of a deeper scheme. Her choices propel much of the film’s emotional tension.

❤️ Lost love 🎭 Mystery 🧠 Fragile

The Korean (Vladimir Samoylov)

The enigmatic mastermind behind the crime network, often referred to as 'The Korean.' His strategic mind and willingness to manipulate others make him the central antagonist whose plans ripple through the entire story. He embodies the calculated cruelty of the underworld.

🧠 Mastermind 🏛️ Power 🎭 Deception

The King (Armen Dzhigarkhanyan)

A powerful crime lord in Tayga who controls factions inside and outside the prison system. His presence signals a resurgent, organized hierarchy within the criminal world, capable of mobilizing vast resources and intimidating both lawbreakers and law enforcers.

👑 Kingpin 🏛️ Power 💥 Ruthless

Danilin (Igor Yasulovich)

One of the two assassins sent to terminate Govorkov. He is capable, strategic, and ultimately tragic, meeting his end in the perilous escape sequence. His role sharpens the tension as Govorkov battles for control and escape.

🗡️ Assassin 💼 Enforcer ⚔️ Confrontation

Ugriumy (Lev Prygunov)

A hardened assassin whose pursuit of Govorkov culminates in a fatal confrontation. Despite his injuries, he reveals crucial information before dying, underscoring the grim realities of this underworld.

🗡️ Assassin ⚔️ Duelist 💥 Tragic

Arshin (Andrei Grinevich)

A local thug who previously clashed with Govorkov and remains a persistent, volatile presence in the criminal underworld. His aggressiveness marks the volatility of the streets Govorkov navigates.

💪 Thug ⚡ Hot-headed 🧭 Rival

Vladimir Andreyevich (cashier)

A cashier caught up in the financing webs surrounding Alik's operations. He becomes a focal point of Govorkov's investigations and the shifting alliances that define the crime world.

💼 Cashier 🏦 Bank ties 🕵️‍♂️ Risky

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 13:10

Major Themes – His Nickname Is Beast (1990)

Explore the central themes of His Nickname Is Beast (1990), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

⚖️ Crime & Power

Post-Soviet Russia becomes a theater where criminals wield power through money and fear. Govorkov’s integrity clashes with Alik’s ruthlessness as influence is exercised via deals and intimidation. The film explores how legal authority becomes entangled with criminal networks, blurring lines between justice and profit. Power is shown as something that can corrupt both sides of the law.

🤝 Loyalty & Betrayal

Savely’s sense of loyalty to friends and his own code is repeatedly tested by those who manipulate him. Alik leverages threats and deception to bend Govorkov to his will, while Larissa’s vulnerabilities pull Savely toward a protective, albeit complicated, commitment. Betrayal cuts across relationships, leaving trust in short supply in a world ruled by coercion.

🔥 Violence & Survival

The narrative constantly escalates into physical confrontations, from confrontations in the cinema to brutal jail escapes. Govorkov fights to stay alive and to protect what he believes is right, often at great personal cost. The violence serves as a currency in this chaotic era, where survival often requires ruthless decisions. The culmination ties survival to a larger reckoning with criminal hierarchies.

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 13:10

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