Eastern Promises DVD Review

"Eastern Promises" reviews

DVD

Eastern Promises

Author

anonymous

Date reviewed

2008-02-25 08:57:47

Provider

DVD Review

Forget Martin Scorsese and his new muse Leonardo DiCaprio, or Tim Burton and Johnny Depp - cinema's most exciting partnership at the moment is David Cronenberg and Viggo Mortensen.

Their first collaboration, 2005's A History of Violence, was a searing look at the complexities of aggression and brutality. Their follow up Eastern Promises looks under the skin of East London's East European gangland and is equally as enthralling.

You have to stick with it though, because while Cronenberg may have replaced the Italian Mafia with Russian mobsters and set it in London rather than New York, you initially suspect you're watching another formulaic, if entertaining, tale of a Godfather-esque crime family

However, slowly but surely the plot begins to unravel, revealing itself to be much more than the slight story of a midwife trying to explain the death of a Russian prostitute. Rather than giving too much away here, suffice to say it's a film that rewards multiple visits thanks to the ambiguous nature of the ending and the work needed to untangle the complicated web of the gangster family's crosses and double-crosses.

Mortensen shines as their driver. Showcasing an authentic Russian accent as well as some serious tattoos, he's equally at home being a brutal killer and compassionate outsider. It's a searing and brave performance, the high point being the already iconic brutal bath house scene where a fully naked Mortensen defends himself from two knife wielding thugs. A thrilling slice of pure cinema.

We all should eagerly await their third collaboration.