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Eastern PromisesVigo Mortensen shines in a brutal look at Russian mob lifeEastern Promises is a raw journey through the Russian underworld of London. Eastern Promises is also a look at the way people struggle with familial loyalty.
Naked Truths about Family and LoyaltyEastern Promises is the latest film by visionary director David Cronenberg. Here Mr. Cronenberg spins a web of violence, deceit, and intrigue about the dark world of Russian crime in London. The movie begins with the disturbing murder of a Russian man and continues with the death of a young Russian girl in the middle of childbirth. The wet nurse Anna played by the always lovely Naomi Watts discovers a diary in the girl's purse. Determined to translate it to find a relative for the baby left motherless, Anna soon discovers she will enter a world that does not want to be invaded. The Dangerous World of the Vor v Zakone (Thieves in Law)An early translation of the diary leads Anna to a restaurant owned by what initially seems like an amicable old man named Semyon. Anna also encounters Semyon's son Kirill and his driver Nikolai (played with an unreal amount of skill by Viggo Mortensen). Nikolai finds himself walking a thin line when he takes a shine to Anna and learns the truth about his employers. All involved become embroiled in danger and fear for their lives. Viggo is transcendent as Nikolai. Cold, calculating, walking the greyest line possible for a man to walk. Not only that, his accent sounds spot on accurate. This is a tribute to Viggo Mortenen's work ethic. He lives as Nikolai and you truly believe that he has been a thief in law his whole life. Nikolai soon rises to the occasion as his boss Semyon (played by Armin Mueller-Stahl) brings him into his "family". Semyon is a menacing figure and as his true nature is revealed over the course of the film, the audience really learns what depravity this criminal world is capable of. You feel as if Semyon is the grandfather you trust with your life. Mueller-Stahl does an astounding job of playing Semyon as superficially genteel and worldly. Such duality makes Semyon’s evil all the greater. Eastern Promises Grips and Doesn't Let GoThis film is a gripping and haunting look at a world most of us cannot understand. There is a disturbing sense of honor and loyalty amid a group of people who commit unspeakable acts of violence and carnage. A fight scene with a completely nude Nikolai has to be one of the most brutal ever committed to film. Viggo Mortensen is truly an underrated actor to have done this scene. Eastern Promises is a highly recommended film. Rent it on DVD post haste, you will not regret it. Eastern Promises is a deep, animalistic, and rewarding film that will shock you with its raw violence and move you with a surprising emotional core.
The copyright of the article Eastern Promises in Drama DVD Reviews is owned by Brian Nathanson. Permission to republish Eastern Promises in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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