azat_nugm Reviews

War (2002)

Stupid

[3/10 · 20 February 2005]

The acting is ridiculous. Chadov's attempts to play psychopath are so painful to watch I want to close my eyes in embarrassment that I'm still watching this movie, and I'm sure he was a casting mistake. Bodrov Jr. doesn't talk much and mostly bleeds. Dapkunaite was brought on for her amazing talent to look tragically silent. Kelly is the movie's substitute for Hollywood's "that negro clown"; ironically he turns to be the most interesting person to watch in the whole movie.

It's sad that in "Voyna", a war movie, the short SUV shoot-out was the only good action scene in the whole movie; the rest are either badly scripted, or rushed and panned with that awful yawn-inducing music. If seeing a regular Joe Blows splatter Chechen bandits was one of the movie's major appeals (why the hell else make brutal beheading of a Russian POW for Al-Jazeera the first scene in the movie?), "Voyna" has failed miserably in this department. It does however raise some interesting and perhaps even illuminating points to the Western viewers as to how Chechyen War is seen by Russian citizens.

All in all, I'm afraid Balaganov has forgotten what makes B-movies fun. A shame, because he did far better with another beer-and-popcorn movie of his, "Brat 2".

Tycoon: A New Russian (2002)

Very entertaining

[8/10 · 19 February 2005]

Well, the good news is that this is definitely a very fun and entertaining piece of cinema. The bad news is that, like most movies with very few exceptions, it took a cool premise and failed short in delivering it. Storytelling needs a lot of polish, plot resolutions may seem dumb at times, and acting can range from very good to absolutely horrible from scene to scene and from actor to actor. There's very little that this "Russian Godfather" has to say that wasn't already said many times (and much better) in "Godfather", "Scarface", and "Once Upon a Time in America".

None of that matters when it comes to the fun factor - unless of course you're one of those self-professed "critics" who spend more time ogling pretty ladies than following the story twists that are neither confusing nor overly complicated, or people who think that any movie that talks about a serious and controversial topic should be strictly unbiased documentary. Be neither, and don't take the movie too seriously.

Brat 2 (2000)

Best russian comedy seen in a long time

[10 October 2003]

If you're looking for a solid-quality russian movie like the original 'Brat' was, forget it. 'Brat 2' isn't made for high-lobed critics, movie affictionados, or even adults for that matter. Whom it is made for, however, is highschool students and anyone with a sense of irony and appreciation for comedy. Danila is back, and so is his gangster brother 'Tatarin'. The story is ridiculous - Danila's former C.O. is killed by people who don't want to pay back the money they owe a hockey player living in America. Danila takes it on himself to correct the injustice and leaves off to U.S. with 'Tatarin'. What follows is Balaganov's (producer) hilarious satire on russian emigrant's view of american life, heavily dosed with politically incorrect shoot-outs. The movie is very funny, although russian-americans will probably see it as a drama and not comedy.