Emily FinlayMovie Review: Eastern Promises
October 26th 2007 03:14
I've written a bit more of a proper review for this movie for a local magazine, so this is going to be a bit more of a casual review. But this is a movie worth at least two looks- it flopped all over the place at the US Box Office, but now that it's coming to Australia and I've seen it (cinema was nearly empty, too), it's my absolute duty to inform people of the greatness of this film.
Directed by David Cronenberg
R 18
In cinemas now
I hate doing plot outlines, but here's a quick one: Set in England, this movie follows a Russian mafia family, and more specifically, Nikolai Luzhin (Viggo Mortensen), the driver and close friend of Kirill, son of the head of the mafia. While Nikolai gains more influence within the family, a young midwife, Anna (Naomi Watts), is drawn into their world through a card found in the diary of a young woman who dies during childbirth.
And then a bunch of really excellent things happen. I told you I'm not good with plot outlines, I always want to stop midway and just starting yelling "This movie is really, really good". This is the second time Cronenberg has teamed up with Viggo Mortensen (see 2005's brilliant A History of Violence) and Hell, Cronenberg is onto a real winner. Mortensen nails this part. He's a chilling, scary man, but also one with undeniable charm. It's not just the accent or the fact that, let's face it, even as a hetrosexual male Viggo is a pretty damn handsome man, but his whole demenour, the loyality of his character and his little quiet mannerisms, make him very captivating. Most of the praise seems to be going to Watts, from what I'm reading, but I found her whole character a bit too....conventional to really be exceptional. Mortenson is something else, rare even within mafia tales (expect an entry at some stage about how much I love The Sopranos), but the character is still so well realised. Cronenberg, like Scorcese with DeNiro and Kurosawa with Mifune before him, is onto a real winner here.
This is a movie of almost insane intensity. Have you heard about the steamroom scene yet? I won't spoil it for you, but holy shit. I was squirming in my seat, but I was mesmerized by it at the same time. Best scene I've seen in a new movie this year, without a doubt. The violence, like A History of Violence before it, is startlingly realistic. I don't want to spoil the particulars of what happens, but there's a lot of blood spilt. Interestingly, this movie released here on the same day as Saw IV (I refuse to watch any of these movies after Saw II, one of the worst movies I have ever seen), but the violence here, as far as I can gather, serves a much more intelligent purpose, and the film's tone is brilliantly realised.
Want criticism? The plot takes a while to really kick into gear, and when it does it is so good that when it ends I really wished it would keep going for another half hour. There's a side-plot that feels a bit 'Hollywood', which is alright in and of itself, but doesn't really fit in with this particular film. It's a bit more conventional than a lot of Cronenberg's films (particularly the stuff he was churning out in the 80s), which does make it a more accessable film, but full-on Cronenberg nuts might be a touch disappointed by this. Also, if you have a weak stomach, of course, you...probably shouldn't see this. There were actually complaints in the UK about how violent it was, but really if you've made it through any other violent films, you'll be able to handle this one. That's really about it.
Eastern Promises is a pretty solid contender for Movie of the Year. And yet, nobody's seen it. Please, please, please see this movie. I hate to see things like this flop, when they're so deserving of an audience.
R 18
In cinemas now
I hate doing plot outlines, but here's a quick one: Set in England, this movie follows a Russian mafia family, and more specifically, Nikolai Luzhin (Viggo Mortensen), the driver and close friend of Kirill, son of the head of the mafia. While Nikolai gains more influence within the family, a young midwife, Anna (Naomi Watts), is drawn into their world through a card found in the diary of a young woman who dies during childbirth.
And then a bunch of really excellent things happen. I told you I'm not good with plot outlines, I always want to stop midway and just starting yelling "This movie is really, really good". This is the second time Cronenberg has teamed up with Viggo Mortensen (see 2005's brilliant A History of Violence) and Hell, Cronenberg is onto a real winner. Mortensen nails this part. He's a chilling, scary man, but also one with undeniable charm. It's not just the accent or the fact that, let's face it, even as a hetrosexual male Viggo is a pretty damn handsome man, but his whole demenour, the loyality of his character and his little quiet mannerisms, make him very captivating. Most of the praise seems to be going to Watts, from what I'm reading, but I found her whole character a bit too....conventional to really be exceptional. Mortenson is something else, rare even within mafia tales (expect an entry at some stage about how much I love The Sopranos), but the character is still so well realised. Cronenberg, like Scorcese with DeNiro and Kurosawa with Mifune before him, is onto a real winner here.
This is a movie of almost insane intensity. Have you heard about the steamroom scene yet? I won't spoil it for you, but holy shit. I was squirming in my seat, but I was mesmerized by it at the same time. Best scene I've seen in a new movie this year, without a doubt. The violence, like A History of Violence before it, is startlingly realistic. I don't want to spoil the particulars of what happens, but there's a lot of blood spilt. Interestingly, this movie released here on the same day as Saw IV (I refuse to watch any of these movies after Saw II, one of the worst movies I have ever seen), but the violence here, as far as I can gather, serves a much more intelligent purpose, and the film's tone is brilliantly realised.
Want criticism? The plot takes a while to really kick into gear, and when it does it is so good that when it ends I really wished it would keep going for another half hour. There's a side-plot that feels a bit 'Hollywood', which is alright in and of itself, but doesn't really fit in with this particular film. It's a bit more conventional than a lot of Cronenberg's films (particularly the stuff he was churning out in the 80s), which does make it a more accessable film, but full-on Cronenberg nuts might be a touch disappointed by this. Also, if you have a weak stomach, of course, you...probably shouldn't see this. There were actually complaints in the UK about how violent it was, but really if you've made it through any other violent films, you'll be able to handle this one. That's really about it.
Eastern Promises is a pretty solid contender for Movie of the Year. And yet, nobody's seen it. Please, please, please see this movie. I hate to see things like this flop, when they're so deserving of an audience.
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Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
Comment by Stanley
the only criticism that i have really is that it just ended.
i guess it was very david chase-esque.
Comment by Jickle
Comment by Stanley
Comment by Jickle
And also, there was: Spoiler Warning, highlight to read:: the kiss between Nikolai and Anna, which just felt way too Hollywood in a movie that really wasn't the least bit glamourous or predictable aside from that particular sub-plot.