Leviathan (2014)

Lack of good storyline.

Great Film overall

Did you people see the same film I saw?

Absolutely Fantastic

It's hard to admire a camerawork when it's not relevant to what's happening on a screen. Or to what is really on director's mind. At one point it becomes clear: he's searching for a recepie of international success while putting together the images. Which is OK since Hollywood has promoted this type of cinema. The issue I'm having with Zvyagintsev style is that he pretends to be something bigger than just another widely-recognized movie entrepreneur. I wish him good luck but I'm not in his fan club ))

It's amazing how Zvyagintsev tells a story and fills the background with so many details of the Russian system that the narrative brilliantly combines both aspects in a compelling way. In a way a retelling of the story of Job from Bible but more about how deceptive it is in giving a happy ending and being blind. The film may be thought as pessimistic but I feel it's nothing more than realistic. The system ie both the state and the religion are failing in corruption and the rest can only hope to live without involving in anything.

In Russian style, the story challenges constructs of modern society. In this case, social contract theory is under attack showing how governments can easily become a vehicle of corruption, thereby destroying more liberty than it serves to protect. Along the way, the story provides stunning backdrop of Russian landscapes and a positively warming depiction of Russian culture and it's people. I thoroughly enjoyed this movie.

While it moves about as slow as the leviathan at the heart of its title reference, Andrey Zvyagintsev's biblically inspired family drama is worth sticking it out for and while it doesn't have the same impact as his highly thought of 2003 film The Return, Leviathan is a unique and troublesome picture that offers a unique look at Russian life and politics.Loosely based around the Bible story of Job and his many trials, Leviathan is anything but an easy watch and in true Russian fashion, don't go into this experience expecting happy or colourful endings as the path to this tale is fraught with danger, lies and coldly played tactics. Zvyagintsev is a master of mood and he embeds this stunningly well shot and hauntingly scored (Philip Glass provides the films sparsely used tunes) film with an ever ominous cloud of dread and while the film seems set on a certain direction within the first hour, things quickly turn in another way entirely when a fateful camping trip takes place between our films mains players.What takes place between our traveling business/family man Kolya or Nikolay, his oppressed wife Lilya, their lawyer and friend Dmitriy and corrupt local mayor Mer is much better discovered as one watches proceedings take place and there are frequent moments where you feel someone is one up on another only for the narrative to twist conventions and while it remains slightly frustrating that certain questions remain largely under lock and key come the final scenes, Leviathan's web covers a broad enough spectrum that has commentary on everything from the church system in Russia through to Vladimir Putin's ever present figure being both a literal and figurative presence over the country.Understandably recognised at film festivals the world over and awards ceremonies in equal measure (this really is the type of product Cannes and the Academy lap up) Leviathan doesn't break any new ground or truly justify its nearly snail paced plotting but despite there not being much to actually love about this picture, this is a bleak drama filled with deeply unnerving moments which will make it a film you're likely to ponder upon days after the final reels have played out.3 ½ washed up whale carcasses out of 5