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Eastern Promises [2007]
from Pathe Distribution
starring Viggo Mortensen, Vincent Cassel, Naomi Watts, Armin Mueller-Stahl
directed by David Cronenberg

Features:

• PAL

Editorial Review:

David Cronenberg's signature obsessions flower in Eastern Promises, a stunning look at violence, responsibility, and skin. Near Christmas time in London, a baby is born to a teenage junkie--an event that leads a midwife (Naomi Watts) into the world of the Russian mob. Central to this world is an ambitious enforcer (Viggo Mortensen) who's lately buddied up with the reckless son (Vincent Cassel) of a mob boss (Armin Mueller-Stahl, doing his benign-sinister thing). Screenwriter Steve Knight also wrote Dirty Pretty Things, and in some ways this is a companion piece to that film, though utterly different in style. The plot is classical to the point of being familiar, but Cronenberg doesn't allow anything to become sentimental; he and his peerless cinematographer Peter Suschitzky take a cool, controlled approach to this story. Because of that, when the movie erupts in its (relatively brief) violence, it's genuinely shocking. Cronenberg really puts the viewer through it, as though to shame the easy purveyors of pulp violence--nobody will cheer when the blood runs in this film. Still, Eastern Promises has a furtive humour, nicely conveyed in Viggo Mortensen's highly original performance. Covered in tattoos, his body a scroll depicting his personal history of violence, Mortensen conveys a subtle blend of resolve and lost-ness. He's a true, haunting mystery man. --Robert Horton, Amazon.com

Stills from Eastern Promises (click for larger image). Photos by Peter Mountain.

Vincent Cassel (left) and Viggo Mortensen (right).	Armin Mueller-Stahl.	Viggo Mortensen (left) and Naomi Watts (right)
Viggo Mortensen (left) and Naomi Watts (right).	Naomi Watts.	Armin Mueller-Stahl (left) and Naomi Watts (right).
Mina E. Mina (left), Vincent Cassel (center) and Viggo Mortensen (right).	Vincent Cassel.	Viggo Mortensen.

Customer Reviews:

• Avg. Customer Rating: 3.5 / 5.0

• Brutal and engrossing, and you'll learn how to use snippers to clip off a corpse's frozen fingers
  Is it possible to take seriously a movie where the violent highlight is a vicious fight in a public bath? The fight requires, of course, that at least one of the male fighters be nude. In this case, it's the lead actor and there are no flopping bits that we don't see. Another requirement would be that knives must be involved so that we can get plenty of blood, along with wince-inducing moments when blades slice into back and stomach muscles. And for a coup de grace, what could be more ick worthy than a... more info

• Promised and delivered
  I had been anticipating this films release onto DVD for several months having missed the opportunity to view it at the cinema through illness or other commitments. On no level was I disappointed.
  This film is just so utterly refreshing in the modern climate for film making, where average films are being amassed with credit as there is such an abundance of below mediocre plots and characters portrayed on our silver screens. I am not stating that there have been no recent films that have been brilliant... more info

• Would have been 4* if it wasnt for the last 20 minutes
  I'm not a Cronenberg fan but after seeing the fantastic 'A History of Violence' and hearing some good word of mouth reviews I decided to check out Eastern Promises.
  Everything is in place for a good movie, good script, cracking cast, decent premise. So what goes wrong?
  Well, in 2 words? - the end - I was really into the film, really gripped and thoroughly enjoying it until the final 15/20 minutes.
  The cast do a good job with a well written script and intriguing storyline - although be warned,... more info

• Doesn't match promise
  I've really enjoyed the work of director David Cronenberg over the years, so I watched Eastern Promises with anticipation. Naomi Watts plays a London midwife who takes an interest in the case of a young East European girl who dies in childbirth. From the girl's diary she makes contact with a seemingly respectable Russian businessman, Armin Mueller-Stahl, but later learns he's involved in Russian Organized Crime, the girl has been trafficked and forced into prostitution, and the businessman's son is the... more info

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