Eastern Promises Reviews
Critic & User Reviews
What Common Sense Media Says...
| Family Rating: |
More Family Rating Details |
Critic Reviews
The actors and the characters merge and form a reality above and apart from the story, and the result is a film that takes us beyond crime and London and the Russian mafia and into the mystifying realms of human nature.
Read the full reviewDavid Cronenberg's elegant treatise on the metaphysics of violence.
Read the full reviewViggo Mortensen's performance is flat-out brilliant, and this relentlessly dramatic thriller represents a mid-life growth spurt for its director, David Cronenberg.
Read the full reviewCronenberg and screenwriter Steve Knight masterfully orchestrate an atmosphere of danger and dread for a descent into an underworld inhabited by the Russian mafia in London.
Read the full reviewA superbly wrought yarn set in the milieu of first-generation Russian mobsters in London that is simultaneously tough-minded and compassionate about the human condition, Eastern Promises instantly takes its place among David Cronenberg's very best films.
Read the full reviewThe rigor of Mr. Cronenberg?s direction sometimes seems at odds with the humanism of Mr. Knight?s script, but more often the director?s ruthless formal command rescues the story from its maudlin impulses. Mr. Knight aims earnestly for your heartstrings, but Mr. Cronenberg insists on getting under your skin. The result is a movie whose images and implications are likely to stay in your head for a long time.
Read the full reviewIn Eastern Promises, shot to envelop by the great Peter Suschitzky, Cronenberg brings us face to face with the horror of self.
Read the full reviewThis is the first time, though, his (Mortensen)performance seemed so much bigger than the film surrounding it. That he manages the feat with so few wasted gestures puts him in line with the greats.
Read the full reviewCronenberg's deeper purpose is to pull audiences into an affecting, powerful story about right and wrong.
Read the full reviewExpertly realized and gunmetal slick, Eastern Promises whirs along with perfect efficiency, but doesn't stir much in the way of visceral horror despite its penchant for treating the human body like a chicken carcass on a block. (Squeamishness, yes.)
Read the full reviewA thoroughly entertaining film by a director at the height of his ability.
Read the full reviewEastern Promises has a compelling story and strong performances to back up what may seem excessive or sensationalistic.
Read the full reviewAn engaging thriller done in the Cronenberg style is still worth anyone's time. And this one boasts memorable turns from Naomi Watts, Armin Mueller-Stahl, and Vincent Cassel.
Read the full reviewIt's an academic meditation in underworld-thriller drag -- a movie that looks about as close to a straight-ahead, down-and-dirty genre entertainment as anything the director has made since his exploding-head horror days.
Read the full reviewEastern Promises is a jumbled string of mob-related clichés that mesh into something that?s derivative and at times uninteresting.
Read the full reviewReview excerpts provided by Metacritic.com.
The Metascore® designation for this movie is 82
User Reviews
These boards contain member reviews of Movies. Use the Notify links to report improper post. Read AOL Anywhere Rules of User Conduct for more. AOL members: For our full suite of interactive Message Boards, Chats, Polls, and member stories, go to keyword: Movie Talk.
Review - written by a Russian (a real Russian)
"1. Vory v Zakone are all in their 80's. They have been replaced by much more violent and more powerful mafia's.2. No one in the movie speaks Russian - or close to understable Russian... A lot of of the time - had to switch he subtitles on to understand... 3. No story line what so ever... 4. Movie only concetrates on tattoos and throat cutting... Which russian mafia's excel in - however - no real ties to the real underworld. 5. I THOUGHT I SAW THE WRONG MOVIE AT FIRST - COMPLETE GARBAGE... WOULD NOT RECOMMEND EVEN IF YOU ARE ABLE TO SEE IT FOR FREE..."
Sadistic, but brilliant.
"A brilliant and striking film, but too bloody and sadistic for my taste. It isn't entertainment, but it is a near-perfect example of film art."
Madly in Love with Viggo!!
"Having seen Viggo Mortenson in "A History Of Violence" I know what a wonderful actor he has become. I have not seen "Eastern Promises" yet I intend to, most likely by renting the video. The synopsis intrigues me, so I am eager for it to come out on DVD.P.S. I have just re-rented "A History Of Violence" something I rarely do!!"
Senseless Gangster Gore
"I read all the glowing reviews of Eastern Promises and went to see the movie.What a disappointment! I am very puzzled that there is such a huge difference between what I read in the reviews and what I saw on screen. Can't be the same movie, I thought? This movie has poor acting, cliche dialogue, ridiculous story line, unnecessay, graphic slaughter of people and major miscasting. You do not understand, or can relate, to one character in this bloody, hoodlum hokum. Senseless carnage for reasons that are still unclear. We don't need the camera to pull in for a close up of a person that has just had his throat cut, or has just gotten stabbed in the eye, to see all the blood pumping out of the wound till the victim dies. The camera stays on the stab wound in close up till the victim's life's blood is puddled on the floor, and that's art? That's supposed to show the director's talent? Huh? In an attempt at a quirky twist they have the major killer, Viggo Mortensen, the one that cuts people's fingers off, and you see it being done, in close up, and pulls their teeth out so the bodies cannot be identified, as an undercover agent working for Scotland Yard. What baloney! In a word this movie is AWFUL!!!!!"
One Scene Hurt this Film
"This could have been an excellent film except in a pivotal scene Naomi Watts (the mid-wife) goes to the mob restaurant after she learns the contents of the diary and starts calling out the mob boss on the street. She then screams at Viggo Mortensen (the Russian driver) that "You know what he did" (yadda yadda). That was totally ridiculous. These people are supposed to be ruthless killers and she confronts them like this? Go to the police and hide is the answer. The scene hurt the believability of this well acted story. Otherwise, is was an excellent film. Also, I found myself hungry to see Mortensen's climb to the top and get his revenge. We are only left to assume that but it's okay, at least from the perspective of the audience you at least understand what happened when the film ends a bit too early."
OMG...this was the funniest movie (ruskii prochetaeti eto)
"okay..if you want a comedy...this is perfect specially if you are russian like me. as usual americans try to put us in this funny spotlight of borsche and vodka but okay lets put that aside...the movie was so stupid. what kind of mafia was that it consisted of three people. Anyway...this is total BS the person who made this movie should have maybe went to russia first or read a couple books. The only thing that was right was the tattoos he must have only researched russian prison tattoos..wow i was not expecting this. they make us seem like all we do is drink kill and speak in french accents wow..and if u actuall would understand russian the actors must have read the script once and had no training at all...the problem w/this movie was that it actually had good actors who were playing stupid roles. PLEASE AMERICANS AND EVERYONE ELSE...PLEASE DO NOT THINK THAT THIS IS ACTUALLY HOW THE RUSSIAN MAFIA OR RUSSIANS IN GENERAL LIVE OR ACT ITS ALLOT MORE BRUTAL IN REAL LIFE BUT ATLEAST IT DOESNT LOOK CHEESY AND STUPID LIKE THIS DID. (kak fsegda nas ochen horoshenko vistavili pered americozami)"
A MUST SEE
"I don't agree with many others. This is the best I've seen in months (we go every Tuesday). Doesn't drag like the "Kingdom", Better acting and more suspense than "In the Valley of Elam" which was political in purpose. Much more realistic than "3:10 to Yuma." A unique view into a world with which we are not familiar. I wouldn't have missed it."
Best thriller since Usual Suspects
"WOW! I didn''t know if I wanted to see this because of all the violence I read in the reviews, but am I glad I did! What a SUPER suspense thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat and wanting more after the end. This is a taught, tight thriller, no wasted scenes, and Viggo is AMAZING... his cool, sexy, quiet and mysterious demeanor perfectly portrays his character. I'm usually disappointed by generally well-reviewed films (I hated Knocked UP)... but this one was completely gratifying and Viggo is a real treat. If you missed A History of Violence, rent it for more great Viggo! BRAVO!"
Write a Review
Post your rating and review! Sign in with your CompuServe, Netscape or AOL screen name to post a review. It's easy and free!
Log in Now!
These boards contain member reviews of Movies. Use the Notify links to report improper post. Read AOL Anywhere Rules of User Conduct for more. AOL members: For our full suite of interactive Message Boards, Chats, Polls, and member stories, go to keyword: Movie Talk.
 |