|
|
|
Stoke City
|
 |
|
 |
 |
|
|
| |
|
| |
 |
| Title: Eastern Promises |
|
|
| Genre: Thriller |
| Release Date: Oct 29, 2007 |
| MPAA Rating: 18 |
| Runtime: 96 mins |
| Director: David Cronenberg |
| Writer: Steven Knight |
| Distributor: Serendipity Point Films |
|
|
| |
Other Information:
Starring: Viggo Mortensen, Naomi Watts, Vincent Cassel and Armin Mueller-Stahl
Reviewed by: Roosta - Film Club |
| |
|
| |
Review by Admin:The inaugral meeting of the Film Club saw a Blu Ray projected version of David Cronenberg's 'Eastern Promises'.
Anna (Naomi Watts) is a mid-wife working in the Trafalgar Hospital in London. And, no Ian it doesn't exist! A 14 year old girl dies when giving birth to her baby girl and Anna retrieves her pocket diary. The diary is written in Russian so Anna gives it to her Uncle Stepan who claims to be an ex-KGB agent. In the time he takes in translating it Anna goes to a Russian restaurant, mentioned in the diary, and meets Semyon the proprietor who also happens to be the head of the Russian mafia - London branch. Nikolai ( Viggo Mortensen) is the 'driver' and 'cleaner'(see Pulp Fiction for reference) who befriends Anna.
We saw the best of Cronenberg last night. The right balance of extreme violence and sexual exposure. Perfectly paced with terrific performances all round it was a very enjoyable experience. I thoroughly recommend it. The only reason I haven't given it a 10 is because it isn't the kind of film that I would watch again and again. But that says more about me than Eastern Promises. |
| |
|
| Review added by: uncle_pedro ON Jun 9, 2008 Rating: |
|
|
I'd tend to agree with Roosta that this was a well-balanced outing from Cronenberg. The nasty bits are properly nasty but there's nothing that's gratuitous (well, maybe the finger slicing bit is a little unnecessary...).
Mortensen is superb and, having not bothered to read up who was in the film first, I actually didn't twig it was him until some way through the showing. That's a good demonstration of how completely different he is in this as compared to his other sword-wielding, orc-bashing outings recently.
I found Anna annoying and as was commented by others of the Film Club, it seemed odd that she and her mother didn't run screaming to the police after the first encounters with the bad guys. But then we'd have no film to write about of course.
All in all, a good watch but not a repeater for me. |
|
| |
| |
| |
| Review added by: ianrobertmclaughlin ON Jun 9, 2008 Rating: |
|
|
Great film. Avoids formulaic plot.
Having watched the film without any prior knowledge, I was very impressed by the twists and turns of the storyline, after the dramatic opening 5 minutes.
Acting was thoroughly convincing.
One criticism was the casting of Naomi Watts. She seemed far too posh to be a midwife.
The only other flaw was the classic "OK-I'm-scared-lets-call-the police" moment that doesn't happen because it would make for a very short film! |
|
| |
| |
| |
| Review added by: fozzie ON Jun 11, 2008 Rating: |
|
|
This is the second collaboration between David Cronenberg and Viggo Mortenson. I hope they do a "Burton and Depp" and continue making films together. The combined talents are so good. Thankfully this isn't typical Cronenberg fayre in that it isn't overtly sexual or weirdly perverse, just a cracking good story. Mortensen is brilliant in the lead role, once again proving that he can do "nasty" along with the best of them. Indeed, his labelling as the "new DeNiro" seems fully justified. The story is gritty and intense, and the acting is generally top notch. My one quibble is the almost complete absence of any police presence while all the unpleasantness is going on.
All in all, well worth watching. |
|
| |
| |
| |
| Review added by: Martin Scorsese ON Jun 26, 2008 Rating: |
|
|
Viggo Mortensen: oooo... nice accent
Naomi Watts: mmmm....
Russian mafia in London: Scary!
Violence: Tolerable (for Cronenberg)
Turkish Bath scene: Extraordinary.
Tattoos: Darkly spooky.
Ending: Unpredictable. Really.
"I am just a driver." |
|
| |
| |
| |
| Review added by: eddb ON Jul 10, 2008 Rating: |
|
|
A brilliant film, quite dark which keeps you guessing to the end. The best bit of acting Viggo has done, his presence as a calm, calculated killer is chilling and tense; he's just as great here as his subtle burn in "A History of Violence", his accent unflawed and his rage openly bared.
Overall a very good film & highly recommendable!
**Do not watch whilst eating your dinner!** |
|
| |
|
|
| |
| |
|
| |
 |
Breakdown of User Reviews: |
 |
|
|
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
10 |
0% |
0% |
0% |
0% |
0% |
0% |
20% |
60% |
20% |
0% |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
Add rating and review for this movie: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
