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The Rising Hawk (2019) movie poster

Characters & Themes

The Rising Hawk (2019) Characters, Setting & Themes Explained

Release, runtime and language
2019 · 110 mins · English
Echo score 64
JustWatch #16,183
Directed by
Akhtem Seitablaiev, John Wynn
Starring
Alison Doody, Tommy Flanagan, Robert Patrick, Alex MacNicoll, Maryna Koshkina, Oliver Trevena
Budget
$2.9M

Freedom is my nature. During the 13th century, a small village fights for freedom in the frontier landscape of the Carpathian Mountains against Mongolian invaders.

On this page (7)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 Characters explained (6)
  3. 3 Where & when it takes place
  4. 4 Themes & meaning (3)
  5. 5 Character & meaning questions
  6. 6 Movie threads
  7. 7 Every angle

Where to watch

Where to Watch The Rising Hawk (2019)

Where can you watch The Rising Hawk? Stream, rent or buy it in the US, including on Amazon Prime Video, fuboTV and Peacock Premium: current JustWatch availability with up-to-date prices.

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6 main characters · contains spoilers

The Rising Hawk Characters Explained: Who Is Who

The main characters of The Rising Hawk (2019), heroes and villains: what drives them, how they change over the course of the story and what each of them reveals about the film's bigger ideas.

  • Zakhar Berkut

    played by Robert Patrick

    Zakhar Berkut leads the high-landers with a stern, protective resolve. He coordinates the village’s defense against Burunda Khan’s forces and embodies steadfast leadership in crisis. His decisions are driven by duty to his family and homeland.

    • ⚔️ Leadership
    • 🛡️ Protector
    • 🏔️ Highlander
  • Rada Berkut

    played by Alison Doody

    Rada Berkut stands as a supportive yet formidable partner, steering the village's morale and safeguarding loved ones. She navigates the political and personal pressures that accompany war. Her resilience under pressure anchors the community.

    • ⚔️ Leadership
    • 🛡️ Protector
    • 🏔️ Highlander
  • Maksym

    played by Alex MacNicoll

    Maksym is a brave young man torn between loyalty to his people and his love for Myroslava. He shows courage in the face of danger and grows into a pivotal figure in the defense of Tukhlia. His actions reflect a balance of impulse and responsibility.

    • ⚔️ Courage
    • 🏹 Youth Leader
    • 💔 Forbidden Love
  • Myroslava

    played by Poppy Drayton

    Myroslava is strong-willed and resourceful, forming a critical alliance with Maksym. She challenges expectations and stands up to political pressure from Tuhar Vovk. Her choices highlight the human cost of war and the possibility of hope amid ruin.

    • 💃 Resilient
    • 🗝️ Catalyst
    • 🏔️ Highlander
  • Tuhar Vovk

    played by Tommy Flanagan

    Tuhar Vovk is a wealthy, guarded protector who pledges to defend Tukhlia but imposes strict barriers on his daughter’s romance. He embodies conflict between personal authority and communal obligation. His leadership is pragmatic, sometimes sternly authoritarian.

    • 🛡️ Authority
    • 💼 Feudal Power
    • ❤️ Family Duty
  • Burunda Khan

    Burunda Khan is the formidable Mongolian general driving the impending invasion. He questions his motives and maneuvers his army with overwhelming force, testing the villagers’ determination. His campaign sets the stakes for the villagers’ ultimate sacrifice or rescue.

    • ⚔️ Invasion
    • 🐎 Military Strategy
    • 🗡️ Tyrant

Last updated: March 05, 2026 at 18:11

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Setting

Where and When Does The Rising Hawk Take Place?

The setting of The Rising Hawk (2019): the year and time period, the places and locations, and how they shape the characters, the mood and the tension of the story.

Time period

13th century

The story unfolds during the Mongol incursions of the 13th century, a period of upheaval across Eastern Europe. Feudal lords and local warbands contend with advancing armies and shifting loyalties. The era is marked by brutal campaigns, famine, and quick shifts in fortune for those who defend their homeland.

Location

Tukhlia village, Carpathian Mountains

Set high in the rugged Carpathians, Tukhlia is a remote highland village where the community relies on kinship and defense. Its craggy terrain and narrow passes shape daily life and the villagers’ resilience. The village serves as the political and military center for Zakhar Berkut’s fight against invading forces.

  • 🏔️ Mountain Village
  • 🗺️ Borderlands
  • 🛡️ Strategic Pass

Last updated: March 05, 2026 at 18:11

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3 major themes

The Rising Hawk Meaning: Themes & Message Explained

What is The Rising Hawk (2019) really about? The emotional, social and philosophical themes the film keeps returning to, its symbolism and the message beneath the surface.

  • Duty

    The looming invasion tests the villagers’ duty to family, village, and faith. Leaders must balance personal risk with the needs of many, choosing sacrifice over retreat. Loyalty is valued as strength, but it can also demand painful choices.

  • Love vs Duty

    Maksym and Myroslava’s romance challenges Tuhar Vovk’s authority and threatens political alliances. Romantic bonds become a catalyst for personal risk and powerful decisions. The narrative explores whether love can survive the demands of war and duty.

  • Resistance

    Burunda Khan’s invasion pushes the villagers into organized resistance and heroic acts. Strategy, courage, and endurance define the community’s response as they fight to protect their home. The theme emphasizes collective perseverance over individual glory.

Last updated: March 05, 2026 at 18:11

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Character & theme questions

The Rising Hawk Characters & Meaning: Your Questions Answered

The questions people ask about The Rising Hawk (2019): who the characters really are, their relationships, what the symbols mean, where it takes place and what the movie is really about. Each answer contains spoilers.

Q1

Where is The Rising Hawk set?

The movie is set in Tukhlia, a remote highland village nestled in the Carpathian Mountains. The village sits at high altitude with craggy terrain and narrow passes, making it a naturally fortified settlement in the borderlands.

  • carpathian mountains
  • tukhlia
  • setting
  • mountain village
Q2

What time period is The Rising Hawk set in?

The story takes place during the 13th century, specifically during the Mongol incursions that swept across Eastern Europe. This was a period marked by brutal military campaigns, upheaval, and constant threat from invading armies.

  • 13th century
  • mongol invasion
  • time period
  • historical setting
Q3

Who is the main antagonist in The Rising Hawk?

Burunda Khan is the formidable Mongolian general leading the invasion against Tukhlia. He commands an overwhelming army and drives the conflict that forces the villagers into resistance, questioning his own motives as the campaign unfolds.

  • burunda khan
  • antagonist
  • mongol general
  • villain
Q4

What are the main themes of The Rising Hawk?

The movie explores three core themes: Duty, which tests leaders' decisions between personal risk and the needs of many; Love vs Duty, where Maksym and Myroslava's romance threatens political alliances and forces difficult choices; and Resistance, which emphasizes collective perseverance as villagers fight to protect their home.

  • themes
  • duty
  • love vs duty
  • resistance
  • sacrifice
Q5

Who leads the village defense in The Rising Hawk?

Zakhar Berkut serves as the leader of the highlanders, coordinating Tukhlia's defense against Burunda Khan's forces. He embodies steadfast leadership and makes decisions driven by duty to his family and homeland, guiding the community through the crisis.

  • zakhar berkut
  • leader
  • village defense
  • hero
Q6

What is Tukhlia village in The Rising Hawk?

Tukhlia is the remote mountain village that serves as the political and military center of the story. The community relies on kinship bonds and defensive structures to survive, with its craggy terrain and strategic passes shaping both daily life and the villagers' resilience against invaders.

  • tukhlia
  • village
  • mountain settlement
  • community
Q7

What is the central conflict in The Rising Hawk?

The central conflict revolves around Tukhlia's villagers fighting for freedom against Burunda Khan's invading Mongolian army. The story balances this external war with internal tensions, particularly the forbidden romance between Maksym and Myroslava that challenges political alliances and authority.

  • conflict
  • invasion
  • war
  • mongol army
  • villagers
Q8

Who is Maksym in The Rising Hawk?

Maksym is a brave young man who becomes a pivotal figure in defending Tukhlia. He is torn between loyalty to his people and his love for Myroslava, and his journey reflects the balance between impulse and responsibility as he grows through the crisis.

  • maksym
  • protagonist
  • young warrior
  • love interest
Q9

Who is Myroslava in The Rising Hawk?

Myroslava is a strong-willed and resourceful woman who forms a critical alliance with Maksym. She challenges the expectations placed on her and stands up to political pressure from her father, Tuhar Vovk, highlighting the human cost of war and the possibility of hope amid destruction.

  • myroslava
  • female lead
  • strong character
  • love interest
Q10

Who is Tuhar Vovk in The Rising Hawk?

Tuhar Vovk is a wealthy and guarded protector who pledges to defend Tukhlia but imposes strict barriers on his daughter's romance with Maksym. He embodies the conflict between personal authority and communal obligation, leading with a pragmatic and sometimes sternly authoritarian approach.

  • tuhar vovk
  • father
  • authority
  • village elder
  • antagonist
Q11

What does the Resistance theme mean in The Rising Hawk?

The Resistance theme portrays how Burunda Khan's invasion pushes the villagers into organized defense. It emphasizes collective perseverance over individual glory, showing strategy, courage, and endurance as the community responds to the threat of annihilation.

  • resistance
  • collective action
  • perseverance
  • community defense
Q12

What genre is The Rising Hawk?

The Rising Hawk is an action drama with historical and epic elements, set against the backdrop of the 13th-century Mongol invasions. It combines epic hero narratives with historical fiction, focusing on a small community's fight for survival against overwhelming military force.

  • genre
  • action
  • drama
  • historical
  • epic

Movie threads

More Movies Like The Rising Hawk, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes The Rising Hawk tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Epic survival stories like The Rising Hawk

Communities band together in a desperate fight for freedom against invaders. If you enjoyed the high-stakes battle for freedom in The Rising Hawk, you'll find similar tension in these movies. This collection features historical and fictional epics where communities face invasion, focusing on themes of sacrifice, resilience, and patriotic fervor.

  • epic
  • patriotic
  • tense
  • desperate
  • heroic
  • tragic
  • Tone: tense, patriotic, tragic
  • Pacing: variable, building from calm to chaotic
Why these movies?

The story pattern: These narratives often begin by establishing a peaceful, idyllic community whose existence is threatened by an external, overwhelming force. The story follows the community's transformation as they muster their courage, devise strategies, and endure devastating losses in a costly war for their homeland, culminating in a victory tempered by tragedy.

Why they belong together: Movies are grouped here for their shared focus on large-scale conflict, the emotional weight of communal sacrifice, and the tense, oppressive atmosphere of a people fighting for their very existence. They deliver a powerful, heavy viewing experience centered on resilience.

Bittersweet historical dramas like The Rising Hawk

Triumphs in war come at a profound personal cost, leaving scars on the survivors. For viewers who appreciated the heavy emotional cost of victory in The Rising Hawk, this list features similar historical movies. These stories explore wars and conflicts where winning demands a terrible price, blending triumph with tragedy for a powerful, thoughtful conclusion.

  • bittersweet
  • tragic
  • tense
  • heavy
  • patriotic
  • solemn
  • Tone: tense, bittersweet, heavy
  • Pacing: variable, character-driven
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative follows a clear, high-stakes conflict where the protagonists ultimately achieve their goal—be it defending their home or winning a battle—but at the expense of beloved characters, personal happiness, or communal innocence. The ending acknowledges the win while foregrounding the grief and lasting trauma it inflicts.

Why they belong together: These films are connected by their shared emotional journey: a tense build-up to a climactic struggle resolved with a bittersweet outcome. They prioritize the human cost of conflict over unambiguous celebration, creating a Heavy emotional weight that resonates long after the credits roll.

Every angle

The Rising Hawk (2019) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

Everything about The Rising Hawk in one place: what happens in the plot summary, the timeline in chronological order, the characters and meaning and a spoiler-free summary. What's After the Movie adds the cast, box office and post-credit scenes.

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