2006, UK/Canada
Adventure, Crime, Drama, Thriller
READ THE REVIEW AT The Desert Sun.
Extended review:
Absolute power may corrupt absolutely, but the Vory V Zakone know no other way.
When a Russian mob boss becomes careless with domination and his son fails to address his position seriously, it is up to their driver to clean up the mess. Fortunately, he has a few tricks up his sleeve.
David Cronenberg reunites with his latest muse, Viggo Mortensen, in Eastern Promises to build another tough guy character following their efforts in the overblown A History of Violence. Despite Cronenberg's penchant for mental dichotomy, Mortensen's Nikolai does not equally represent opposing conditions, but rather he conveys a front that guards a predictable secret.
Many of Cronenberg's usual calling cards are absent from his latest film. There is nothing terribly strange or shocking in the circumstances; even a closeted obsession fails to raise eyebrows. The only recognizable mark is that though the violence is brief, the visuals are memorable. A slit throat is not quickly achieved, but rather the trachea is sawed through and the gaping wound pulled apart slowly for maximum blood spillage. Aside from this sort of imagery, the drama is fairly uncomplicated.
In fact, no new terrain is traversed. What film involving organized crime does not involve an old school, tough-as-nails boss with a screwed up son left to inherit command of the territory? Add an outsider with enough intelligence to take over the sloppy regime, and the recipe is complete. A weak dispute with a rival mob barely adds tension, even at its bloodiest moment.
Mortensen treads a fine line between portraying Nikolai as a sleazy aggressor and a calculating businessman. This effect does not seem intentional, but rather the product of an imperfectly developed story. However, he receives credit for his action scene in a steam bath. Whereas Cronenberg has previously portrayed nudity in association with curious fetishes, here the display is completely asexual.
As his skin is laid bare, so too are Nikolai's tattoos and thus his status. This presentation would have been more interesting if the symbolic nature were better explained. Though backstories are glossed over, a focus on the decorations of each character would have been enlightening.
Naomi Watts’ storyline as Anna the midwife guarding an orphaned Russian baby appears almost as an aside. Her presence allows a window into the Vory V Zakone underworld, but her contribution is minimal. She may hold destructive evidence, but there are enough crimes to presume she is not the only one with such information.
"Sometimes birth and death go together," Anna asserts. Gems such as this are meant to be profound, but ultimately they become banal. Perhaps expectations are set higher for Cronenberg, but when shock is the baseline it is disappointing to find him falling below potential.
Russian nesting dolls are outwardly simple and inwardly complex. Too bad Cronenberg forgot to assemble his toys properly, as all of his dolls are laid side by side with no good reason to fit together.