Eastern Promises
David Cronenberg
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Plot Summary
Viggo Mortensen and Academy Award® nominee Naomi Watts star in this electrifying thriller from critically acclaimed director David Cronenberg (A History of Violence). Criminal mastermind Nikolai (Mortensen) finds his ties to a notorious crime family shaken when he crosses paths with Anna (Watts), a midwife who has accidentally uncovered evidence against them. Their unusual relationship sets off an unstoppable chain of murder, mystery and deception in the explosive film critics are calling "provocative and engrossing" (Claudia Puig, USA Today).
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Movie Reviews from Rotten Tomatoes
TOMATOMETER
89%- Reviews Counted: 193
- Fresh: 172
- Rotten: 21
- Average Rating: 7.6/10
Top Critics' Reviews
Fresh: This is Mortensen and Cronenberg's second collaboration -- the first was A History of Violence -- and it's turning into a beautiful friendship.
Fresh: I cannot easily recommend these delights to everyone, but my high regard for Mr. Cronenberg's stylistic virtues remains largely undiminished.
Fresh: [Viggo Mortensen] lends a moral complexity to Eastern Promises that makes it much more than just a very accomplished action thriller.
Fresh: Eastern Promises is a subtle and precisely calibrated work of astonishing cumulative power.
Customer Reviews
It May Not Be A Film For You, But It's Pretty Good Overall...
Alright. The first thing that made me want to see this is Lord of the Rings alum Viggo Mortensen. He's a great actor, and the fact that he played my favorite character in the films made me want to see it all the more. The acting is award-worthy in every way. It's a very dark film, and Mortensen's portrayal is astonishingly creepy -- I'm also glad to see that he still does his research when doing a part, by that I mean, he designed his tatoos for the classic Russian symbology of each and every one of them. The blood isn't too bad, if anything, the only thing that turned me off was the nudity. The spa-fight isn't as graphic as I thought, and you really are on the edge of your seat as you hope our good guy to kill the mob henchmen. It's well choreographed. The nudity just doesn't add to this story, it detracts. The directing is okay. I liked A History of Violence three times as much as this. The music, always dark and beautiful by Howard Shore -- it's a shame it didn't get any Academy Award nods. Overall, it's truly a thriller. You don't see what's coming, which makes this film a success in my eyes. If you can handle blood, language, and nudity, then Eastern Promises may be a good film for you. It's very grim and dark, which may deter any one from watching it, but trust me, after you've seen it you'll be happy you did. Buy/rent. ** If there's any perception that this is "a Godfather knock-off" it isn't. In fact, it's far, far, far, far from the story of The Godfather -- though there are some similarities.
Perfection
"Eastern Promises" is a fantastic film that is anchored by a stunning performance by Viggo Mortensen. The story keeps you interested all the way through, and it's hard not to care about the characters. While it is not for the easily offended (the language and full-frontal male nudity may turn off more sensitive viewers), it is a film for the ages.
Rate the MOVIE, not the format
Soranus - good name for you, I'm sure it's fitting. These reviews are for the movie, not to air your grievences towards someone because they didn't let you buy the movie here. Write to Apple if you're that upset - do you really think the management reads movie reviews?
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