As is usual in the arena of the mainstream multiplex, the intelligent and interesting tend to be dwarfed by the big, the sensationalist and, above all, the stupid.
Admittedly, Eastern Promises has been around for a few weeks, and I somehow hadn't found the time to see it. What with being in Rome for two weeks in October at the film festival (reports to follow) and then the inevitable catch up on return, cinemagoing had fallen by the wayside a little. I still need to plan a jaunt over to Bradford this week to see the restored digital presentation of Hammer's Dracula...
So, yesterday was the last day at our local to catch David Cronenberg's latest. Being a fan of his work for many years ( I still vividly remember watching Videodrome and Dead Ringers on BBC2's sorely missed Moviedrome with Alex Cox) I've been especially impressed with his films of late. A History of Violence and, to a lesser extent, Spider navigated the mainstream to deliver Cronenberg's trademarks in the guise of genre thrillers. This tactic of using genre as a delivery method for the director's agenda is a regular technique of another HF favourite Takashi Miike, and Cronenberg has got it down to a fine art. To that end, Eastern Promises is another triumph from the (former) master of body horror.
I'm not one for plot spoilers, and so I won't break that tradition, but suffice to say that there are plot points in this film that I did not see coming. Viggo Mortensen is a revelation as Nikolai, driver for members of the Russian Mafia in London. Following on from his amazing turn in A History of Violence, he exudes an intensity that puts many actors to shame. Equally dependable here are Vincent Cassel and Naomi Watts, the latter with an English accent that is flawless. With many recent disappointing UK releases, it is refreshing to see such a riveting, intelligent film outside of a film festival. It's also the first film in a long while that has made it onto the DVD wants list...
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