Eastern Promises (2007)

(Flash Review)For those who write in their diary, here is a story of how important that information can be some...unfortunate...day. The film kicks off with a soberingly raw scene of a young pregnant girl losing her life yet thankfully her baby survives. While trying to find out about the mother and where the baby should live, a midwife, Anna, locates the mother's diary. Within it contains links to someone within the Russian Mafia. How far will Anna dare to shine a light into that world to uncover the cruel truth about the dead mother's predicament? This was a quality film yet not overly memorably aside from a brutal and graphic knife fight scene. The acting was solid, a competent story with realism in the scenes and emotions and it holds your attention. It could have delved deeper into some character's backgrounds to build them up better. Overall, it stands out amungst many films out there.

This is a very gritty, authentic Russian mob story with a relatively simple plot that works because of the brilliant performances. Throughout the film you're sucked into the very seductive world of the mob, where loyalty and love are as much in evidence as murderous psychosis. I recommend you don't read too much about the plot before you see it. It's interesting to contrast this very British production with John Wick, which is also set amongst the Russian Mafia, but in that case in America. This is a much grimier, less glamorous view of what that world might be like. Viggo Mortensen entirely steals this film with a superbly controlled menace which lurks behind his impassive facade. Not many actors would be willing to do a nude fight scene of such raw violence as occurs in this movie. But then not many could play a tattoo-covered naked Russian hit man fighting for his life in a bathhouse and get away with it as brilliantly as Viggo does. Highly recommended.

The opening scenes in David Cronenberg's "Eastern Promises" has a man seated in a barber's chair in London, we are left asking ourselves, how will this man die in his own blood. Cronenberg offers his viewers the freedom to make assumptions as well as the liberation for the unfortunate victim not expecting his fate when the straight-edged razor will inflict him in the throat or to when he tries to kick out from possible death by kicking his feet. This commencing scenario is the tip of the iceberg and sets the tone for what is to be a wild ride in thinly plotted low-budgeted film. The following scene takes place in a pharmacy where a cold, drenched bare- footed teenage girl walks into the shop. She is bloody and pregnant and is quickly rushed to Trafalgar General Hospital. This is where we meet a midwife named Anna (Naomi Watts). The young girl dies, but her baby survives though covered in blood. Nobody can identify who the mother is, but all we know is that she's left a journal written in Russian and a restaurant card. Like an amateur detective, Anna sets out on what is a simple assignment to ascertain the dead mother's identity and the biological father of her newborn baby. Two things that need to be unravelled during these opening scenes is that Cronenberg is oblivious to his own actions and that he is much to self-aware of himself that he is pulling of similar traits that he does in most of his movies. Very similar to the opening scenes Martin Scorsese's "Goodfellas" where Frank Vincent's Billy Batts gets beaten mercilessly to death, Cronenberg's self-awareness stems to the brink of self-parody can't go incognito towards an endless fetching case of aberration. His method of acting is in-your-face and extremely physical. The things that people seem to neglect like the social, public and even spiritual spectrum all materializes through the physical existence and that the spokes of our wheels runs entirely on blood. This is something he doesn't forget let alone something won't let us forget either. So now we have Anna up to the initiative in the bloody atmosphere as she welcomes a new life for this child. Her investigation leads her to man named Semyon (Armin Mueller-Stahl) who runs the Trans-Siberian Restaurant who's a potential man in lying in his own pool of blood. Upfront he runs a very successful Ukrainian restaurant, but is also a powerful mob leader underground. He knows that this diary could spell the demise of himself and his entire empire. One of his cronies is his chauffeur Nikolai (Viggo Mortensen in his second Cronenberg film). The first Cronenberg-Mortensen pairing was "The History of Violence" and the alliance between these two are quite stimulating. Mortensen truly feels at home in Cronenberg's visions as he knows his character is up against his worst to come. He seems adjusted to his director's obsessions. For most of the movie Nikolai spends most of the time facing off against Seymon's son Kirill (Vincent Cassel). Having these two opponents is the sign of perfect casting let alone brilliant chemistry. They're close in height, class, colouring and even close in age and both possess handsome features. A classic case of good versus evil. Cassel's menacing appeal is the pivotal reason why he seems to be type-cast as a villain in American films. However in "Eastern Promises", he's playing a more prominent villain because he's able to embody insecurity and has enough gusto to reveal his true self successfully. This might be one of Cassel's best English-speaking performances. Even though the penmanship has changed with Steven Knight was the scriptwriter here, the family resemblance between "Eastern Promises" and "A History of Violence" is quite similar that goes beyond Mortensen in the starring roles in both. Both films feature a vicious mobster involved in the lives of ordinary solid citizens. The narratives are both executed to perfection. Cronenberg skims through the narrative without actually rushing through the movie and gives great depths towards the set-pieces nearby like the Russian Mafia initiation (where the applicant must stand in the nude in front of a judging panel) and an ugly violent mob altercation in a steam room.The one thing that makes "Eastern Promise" inferior to "A History of Violence" is that it was way too compulsory and not as endearing and complex as "A History of Violence". Aside from that minor nitpick, "Eastern Promises" delivers entertainment in the way that David Cronenberg has mastered.

A lot Promising Viggo Mortensen, alongside with the smoothly menacing Mueller-Stahl, is the star of this film. But Mortensen, his killer looks, his shades, that one crooked smile, the thick accent and designer clothes, of which 'the British Telegraph'notices that the 'shirt's collar is so high that his throat is barely visible, he straddles the line between cartoon-inhuman villains like Max Headroom and Robocop', steals the show.As one might expect, Eastern Promises has its fair amount of ultra violence, which Cronenberg seems to enjoy adding even when his films appeal most to adult audiences. Such as the opening: A brutal barbershop scene - The movie itself is well done, with a relatively well-paced story, some interesting developments and strong characters.A Mafia Boss, who looks as if a simple restaurant owner but turns out to be the head of Vory V Zakone (people-traffickers). And obviously the heir to the throne the alcoholic son Kirill (Vincent Cassel) and his chauffeur, Nikolai (Viggo Mortensen). Lastly, an east London midwife nurse, Anna (Naomi Watts), determined to get to the source of the death of a 14-year-old sex slave, who's infant she helped delivered, with the business card she found in the teenager's diary which after translated by her uncle turns out to be full of incriminating details about drugs and prostitution.The film is partly sets the audience on a thriller ride about whether or not this decent characters will avoid a violent end, or will end up violently. Even with great direction and writing, a few questions remains; as it does! But as for the 'Cast' - their top notch performances, surely lived up way beyond expectations - As Promised!