2008 Woodie Awards
Eastern Promises: full of action
A review
John Boschini
Issue date: 9/25/07 Section: Arts & Entertainment
Here comes September, the proverbial dumping ground for movies not consumer-friendly enough for the summer but not critic-friendly enough for Oscar season. However, Eastern Promises, David Cronenberg's follow-up to his acclaimed History of Violence, is one of the best movies of the year and starts the Oscar race off with a bang.
Eastern Promises opens with a Russian mob member having his throat sliced by a fellow Russian. If any audience member had doubts about the grotesque nature of Cronenberg's films, they are dismissed before the opening credits. As the film progresses, the audience is taken through the underworld that is the Russian Mafia in London. Naomi Watts stars as Anna, a midwife working in London. Upon delivering a baby from a 14-year-old mother who dies in child birth, she discovers a diary written in Russian. Her quest to find a translator for the diary leads her to a restaurant owned by Seymon, the head of a Russian crime family.
In Seymon's employ is Nikolai, played by Viggo Morteson. Nikolai is the driver and undertaker of the family. The story from then on out is a roller coaster ride that takes us from a pediatric hospital to a Russian brothel.
This film includes one of the coolest fight scenes I have seen in a movie. Viggo Mortenson is involved in a fight to death with two mobsters from a rival family in a public bathhouse. Mortenson is completely naked for the entirety of the scene (ladies…enjoy). It is unlike anything I have ever seen, but it's one of the best fight scenes I have ever had the privilege of witnessing.
Eastern Promises is not afraid to go against convention. David Cronenberg looks at the proverbial book on mafia movies and throws it out the window. Like every movie of its kind it has revenge killings, competing families and plenty of bloodshed. It has the pesky police, but thankfully they take a backseat and the majority of the story revolves around the inner working of the Russian mafia.
The action revolves around the characters emotional struggles instead of huge gunfights and shady drug deals. Cronenberg is quickly establishing himself as one of Hollywood's heavy-hitters. He is quickly replacing the likes of Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez as the master of violent and disturbing film.
The acting is also right on. Mortenson outshines all of his fellow actors and delivers the performance of a lifetime. His performance is subtle yet powerful, and steals every scene he's in. Be on the lookout for a Best Actor performance nomination and, in a perfect world, a win.
Mortenson's co-stars, a blend of seasoned veterans and new comers, play their roles so convincingly that at times I forgot that they were actors. Mortenson and Watts bring out the best in each other and have incredible yet unconventional chemistry that lights up the screen.
Steven Knight penned the script and it flows so smoothly that there is no point in which the film drags. Every character is complex and interesting and every detail is relevant. Twists are abundant yet not overwhelming. Dialogue flows from English to Russian flawlessly and adds an element of realism to the story. The film is a scant 100 minutes so I was not bored by the end. In fact, I was enthralled from the opening credits until the close.
Eastern Promises is a new type of mafia film, but does not attempt to create an entirely new genre. A new twist on an old formula is exactly what the doctor ordered, and that is exactly what this movie is. If you can handle the disturbing and violent nature of the film then I highly recommend this movie.
Eastern Promises opens with a Russian mob member having his throat sliced by a fellow Russian. If any audience member had doubts about the grotesque nature of Cronenberg's films, they are dismissed before the opening credits. As the film progresses, the audience is taken through the underworld that is the Russian Mafia in London. Naomi Watts stars as Anna, a midwife working in London. Upon delivering a baby from a 14-year-old mother who dies in child birth, she discovers a diary written in Russian. Her quest to find a translator for the diary leads her to a restaurant owned by Seymon, the head of a Russian crime family.
In Seymon's employ is Nikolai, played by Viggo Morteson. Nikolai is the driver and undertaker of the family. The story from then on out is a roller coaster ride that takes us from a pediatric hospital to a Russian brothel.
This film includes one of the coolest fight scenes I have seen in a movie. Viggo Mortenson is involved in a fight to death with two mobsters from a rival family in a public bathhouse. Mortenson is completely naked for the entirety of the scene (ladies…enjoy). It is unlike anything I have ever seen, but it's one of the best fight scenes I have ever had the privilege of witnessing.
Eastern Promises is not afraid to go against convention. David Cronenberg looks at the proverbial book on mafia movies and throws it out the window. Like every movie of its kind it has revenge killings, competing families and plenty of bloodshed. It has the pesky police, but thankfully they take a backseat and the majority of the story revolves around the inner working of the Russian mafia.
The action revolves around the characters emotional struggles instead of huge gunfights and shady drug deals. Cronenberg is quickly establishing himself as one of Hollywood's heavy-hitters. He is quickly replacing the likes of Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez as the master of violent and disturbing film.
The acting is also right on. Mortenson outshines all of his fellow actors and delivers the performance of a lifetime. His performance is subtle yet powerful, and steals every scene he's in. Be on the lookout for a Best Actor performance nomination and, in a perfect world, a win.
Mortenson's co-stars, a blend of seasoned veterans and new comers, play their roles so convincingly that at times I forgot that they were actors. Mortenson and Watts bring out the best in each other and have incredible yet unconventional chemistry that lights up the screen.
Steven Knight penned the script and it flows so smoothly that there is no point in which the film drags. Every character is complex and interesting and every detail is relevant. Twists are abundant yet not overwhelming. Dialogue flows from English to Russian flawlessly and adds an element of realism to the story. The film is a scant 100 minutes so I was not bored by the end. In fact, I was enthralled from the opening credits until the close.
Eastern Promises is a new type of mafia film, but does not attempt to create an entirely new genre. A new twist on an old formula is exactly what the doctor ordered, and that is exactly what this movie is. If you can handle the disturbing and violent nature of the film then I highly recommend this movie.
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