Reviews > Eastern Promises

Hot shit. The most fulfilled i’ve been by a movie in quite a while. I’m the type of person who will let it be known when something in a film doesn’t sit right with me. I’m the kid you hear when your walking out saying “I’d have liked it alot more if…” I had nothing to say about this film. This is the first time i’ve really been impressed by Naomi Watts (in king kong i thought she embodied her character, a pretty face brought along for tickets) and Viggo was amazing. I give it props for being the first movie of its type I’ve seen in a while that never tries to lose you. It doesn’t try to keep you guessing the entire time, the characters are developed in ways that the twists are surprising, but you weren’t looking for them, it wasn’t a “I know there is something up with this guy” type deal. It embedded itself nicely in a rich tapestry of Russian Mob lore and pulled it off well. The fight scene in the bath house was the most intense and gut-wrenching scene I’ve scene in a film for a long while. I’m thinking it may be in order for Viggo to get an oscar nod for this one. Maybe not a win, but definitely some credit for his stellar performance at the heart of this great film.