Huievest Instead, you get a movie that's enjoyable enough, but leaves you feeling like it could have been much, much more.

Taraparain Tells a fascinating and unsettling true story, and does so well, without pretending to have all the answers.

StyleSk8r At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.

Nayan Gough A great movie, one of the best of this year. There was a bit of confusion at one point in the plot, but nothing serious.

Muhammed Ozturk In general great plot and acting. I was expecting some bad pronunciation but Morrison exceeded all expectations. He shows what kind of great acting skills he has in this movie and the feeling for life in the Russian underground world. I think that the social and cultural element of the Russians is portrayed really good and the very clear contradiction between the two worlds of Anna and Nicolai. However, the movie is going into detail on some elements in the beginning while it lacks the real emotions of the main characters. Why did Nicolai join the cops? Why is Kirill so aggressive about his dad (something happened in the past) What did he find in Nicolai that attractive.. is there an emotional connection? (there is a hint about him being gay). I liked the movie for the 90 minutes that it fed me, but I've loved to get a lot more details and a better ending. It felt like they just cut it off in the end.

Scott LeBrun Anna (Naomi Watts) is a midwife of English / Russian parentage who earns her living in London. One night she helps to deliver the baby for a teen aged girl, who dies in childbirth. Finding a diary among the girls' belongings, she hopes to get it translated so that she can give the baby to whatever family the girl has. In so doing, she gets mixed up with a Russian mob family, including its boss, Semyon (Armin Mueller-Stahl), his sleazy son Kirill (Vincent Cassel), and Kirills' loyal chauffeur / muscle man Nikolai (Viggo Mortensen).Acclaimed Canadian filmmaker David Cronenberg again delivers a film that is equal parts engrossing, interesting, and reasonably intelligent. Working from a screenplay by Steven Knight, he does an impressive job of immersing us in an exotic environment. The mood and the feel of the material are just right. Although Cronenberg unfortunately seems to have left his "body horror" era far behind by this point, there is some very effective violence here and there courtesy of Stephan Dupuis.The film travels far on the charisma of its leading man Mortensen, who is utterly convincing as this enigmatic character. But the whole cast is excellent, really. Watts is an appealing protagonist, Cassel is most amusing, and Mueller-Stahl is a treat as the aged, reserved mafia boss. Other sturdy contributions are made by Sinead Cusack and Jerzy Skolimowski as Annas' aunt and uncle, Tatiana Maslany (voice only), Mina E. Mina, and Donald Sumpter. Some of Mortensens' fans will be truly delighted to see him show off the goods in a key bath house sequence.Certain story twists, the location shooting, and the crisp photography all help to make this very fine entertainment. Cronenberg works alongside a few of his frequent collaborators: cinematographer Peter Suschitzky, production designer Carol Spier, editor Ronald Sanders, composer Howard Shore, and costume designer Denise Cronenberg (the directors' sister).Eight out of 10.

Python Hyena Eastern Promises (2007): Dir: David Cronenberg / Cast: Viggo Mortensen, Naomi Watts, Armin Mueller-Stahl, Vincent Cassell, Sinead Cusack: Riveting thriller about our duties and honors. Naomi Watts works at a hospital where she cares for the newborn of an underage girl who had just died. The only clue given is a diary written in Russian thus leading her to a restaurant owned and run by a criminal mastermind. Directed by David Cronenberg who worked with his lead, Viggo Mortensen in the highly recommended The History of Violence. With that said, the film is equipped with smashing performances by Viggo Mortensen who plays a driver and severely skilled fighter who assists Watts in her search but we learn much more about this character by film's end. Watts is terrific searching for answers and avoiding near death encounters. She is out for the sake of the baby at any cost. Armin Mueller-Stahl plays the crime leader whose soft spoken disposition hides vengeance. Vincent Cassell plays the son wanting top family position. His eagerness to please is often extreme until he is placed in a right and wrong position in the conclusion. Sinead Cusack plays Watts's mother who doesn't discourage the course of her hectic life. Very graphic in its presentation of violence but it examines crime and family as well as promises another Cronenberg winner. Score: 9 / 10

AlexanderExtazy This is one of the greatest UK produced movies. UK movie industry is and will always be thousands of times more entertaining than Hollywood's crap.In this movie for instance.. the plots are simultaneous and unpredictive. Hollywood's scenes are too predictive and we even know what the actors will say before they say it.In the case of Eastern Promises, the acting is beautiful. Viggo's Russian is fantastic and I made believe he was actually Russian, until I checked out that he's originally Norwegian.The whole setting of the Russian family with their foot struck in London's underbelly is fascinating; especially the wickedness of Viggo's undercover role.Viggo is one of the most talented actors of this age. Every movie he is in, he does a marvelous job in acting it out; unlike brad pitt for instance.. every movie i see brad pitt not the character he's portraying... not to mention the stupidity of his roles.Nevertheless, UK movie industry is producing spectacular films and I feel very entertained watching each and everyone of them.