Eastern Promises

Pretty restrained for Cronenberg, but you can still see his style. Like most films of his I’ve watched, this one felt very cold, but it still managed to capture my attention thanks to the intense rawness. Cronenberg is not for everyone, but I like playing his emotionally detached games sometimes. 80% (08/18/2008)

A slow and ethereal film without any unexpected twists, lightning-fast executions, or a pile of violence, but it still carries the typical signature of the renowned director. The depiction of the cold atmosphere of the Russian mafia is incredible, as well as the accent of Vincent Cassel and Viggo Mortensen, whose training must have been unbelievable. You can literally feel the typical scent of borscht oozing from the screen. There’s surprisingly little violence and blood, but there is one wild scene, a thrilling fight in the sauna, which has no equivalent in modern Hollywood. Intensely paced, narratively clear, and capturing the Eastern atmosphere in a modern metropolis, this captivating non-mainstream mainstream film needs to be seen in the evening with not a single light in the room. (07/18/2008)

When watching Eastern Promises, many film fans probably thought, "Thank God that Cronenberg has gained some common sense in his old age and started making understandable genre films accessible to a wider audience." I prefer the old "perverse" Cronenberg, who experimented and came up with original stories beyond the mainstream of cinema. Eastern Promises is not bad at all, although the script is definitely not original and an experienced viewer can guess where the story is heading after a while. For example, the scriptwriter lacked the courage to cross the genre taboo of the death of a child character. What makes this thriller stand out and surpass average productions is the excellent cast and great performances, far from typical B-movies. The atmosphere of the foreign Russian mafia with its secret rituals, tattoos, and "mythology" is naturally attractive. Overall impression: 75%. The depiction of several overly naturalistic shots, such as the stabbing of a human eye in a fight or the mutilation of a corpse, disturbed me, but many fans will probably appreciate it. :-) (09/26/2008)

The divorce of Cronenberg's directing brilliance from A History of Violence. Whilst therein the ordinariness (and its contrast with violence) focused on the average American family, in Eastern Promises, Cronenberg paradoxically concentrates it on the world of rafts in the law (the Russian mafia). Anyone expecting to see things as black and white, disgusting caricatures or demonization, is going to be surprised. Cronenberg gives the same amount of space to both the average family and the mobsters, lets them dine, pamper their children, and pays the same amount of attention to a slit neck as people sitting and listening to a Garmon player. The result is a fascinating narrative tone that rarely raises its voice (and it is then that the film is slightly marred by the false tone of the great drama). Viggo Mortensen is amazing, and this is one of the actor's most impressive physical performances that can be seen today. Naomi blooms, regardless of the wrinkles. Negative aspects? Again, the script, which has holes in the logic and structure of the story. And also the twist, which, unlike A History of Violence, rather flattens the main character. Which doesn't change the fact that Eastern Promises is a fantastic thriller and Cronenberg is in his prime. [85%] (01/13/2008)

Despite its simple plot, this impressive, small-scale intimate drama left a stronger impression on me than the spectacular American Gangster. Eastern Promises is a sophisticated film affair for the non-popcorn viewer, in which everything fits together like the cogs in Viggo Mortensen’s ten-thousand-dollar wristwatch. Supported by fantastic actors, David Cronenberg confirms his mastery in terms of creating characters. Mortensen’s best performance so far. Also, the portrayal of the Russian mafia setting is incredibly powerful and authentic for the peace-loving Canadian Cronenberg. And as a bonus, there’s the excellent sauna scene that bears the director’s traditional signature. This is the best of Cronenberg’s last five films. (01/10/2008)