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Eastern Promises (Widescreen Edition)
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List Price: $19.98
Special Price: $13.49
Your Savings: $ 6.49 ( 32% )
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
Starring: Naomi Watts, Viggo Mortensen, Vincent Cassel, Armin Mueller-Stahl, Sinéad Cusack
Directed By: David Cronenberg
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Average Customer Rating:  
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Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
Audience Rating: R (Restricted)
Binding: DVD
Brand: UNIVERSAL STUDIOS HOME ENTERTAIN.
EAN: 0025193330024
Format: AC-3
Label: Universal Studios
Manufacturer: Universal Studios
Number Of Items: 1
Publisher: Universal Studios
Region Code: 1
Release Date: 2007-12-23
Running Time: 101
Studio: Universal Studios
Theatrical Release Date: 2007
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Editorial Reviews:
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David Cronenberg's signature obsessions flower in Eastern Promises, a stunning look at violence, responsibility, and skin. Near Christmastime 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 humor, 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 Stills from Eastern Promises (click for larger image). Photos by Peter Mountain. 
Vincent Cassel (left) and Viggo Mortensen (right) star in David Cronenberg's EASTERN PROMISES, a Focus Features release. | 
Armin Mueller-Stahl (center) stars in David Cronenberg's EASTERN PROMISES, a Focus Features release. | 
Viggo Mortensen (left) and Naomi Watts (right) star in David Cronenberg's EASTERN PROMISES, a Focus Features release. | 
Viggo Mortensen (left) and Naomi Watts (right) star in David Cronenberg's EASTERN PROMISES, a Focus Features release. | 
Naomi Watts stars in David Cronenberg's new thriller EASTERN PROMISES, a Focus Features release. | 
Armin Mueller-Stahl (left) and Naomi Watt (right) star in David Cronenberg's EASTERN PROMISES, a Focus Features release. | 
Mina E. Mina (left), Vincent Cassel (center) and Viggo Mortensen (right) star in David Cronenberg's EASTERN PROMISES, a Focus Features release. | 
Vincent Cassel stars in David Cronenberg's EASTERN PROMISES, a Focus Features release. | 
Viggo Mortensen stars in David Cronenberg's EASTERN PROMISES, a Focus Features release. |
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Spotlight customer reviews:
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Customer Rating:
Summary: hard to follow
Comment: I had a hard time understanding Eastern Promises. If it wasn't the quiet mumbling that dominated the majority of the conversations, it was the shocking and disgusting segments involving gruesome deaths, blood, or other kinds of violence. The build up in the beginning was extremely slow and uninteresting. It's not a movie for everyone.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Superbly acted meditation on honour and loyalty
Comment: Superbly acted saga on the Russian mafia in London. Has echoes of "The Godfather" and the machinations of the Russian nobility. Not really an action film, more a meditation on loyalty and honour. Told with maximum impact by director David Cronenberg, who continues his excellent partnership with Viggo Mortensen from "A History of Violence" (2005). Only a few inconsistent plot points and an abrupt ending detract from this film.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Brilliantly acted but the plot is flawed
Comment: I gave this film four stars ONLY,and I repeat, ONLY, because of the amazing quality of Viggo Mortensen's acting. He remains stony-faced throughout the film, and much is communicated with the most subtle of expressions. I was impressed even by his use of subtle body language. I have a new respect for him as an actor after watching this film, and hope to see more of his work in the future.
This film should be rated NC-17, not R, for the full frontal male nudity, graphic sex scene, and intense, gory and realistic violence. THe plot is flawed, andmany will find especially the ending to be unfulfilling.
Also, I have one important question: Why do the Russian gangsters in this film speak english (Russian-accented) with an American accent? its wierdly contrasted to Naomi Watt's English accent.
I must add that the fight scene in the bath house is one of the best I've ever seen on film, mostly because it seemed to lack that obvious choreographed feel. Once again Viggo's acting makes this scene stand out.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Great Screenplay and Performance by Viggo
Comment: As most reviewers have noted, Viggo is the story of this movie. He gives an award-winning caliber performance as Nikolai, a on the rise chaffeur to a Russian gangster in London. What makes Viggo's performance great is the control and restraint he delivers as well as the anger and violence he exhibits at other moments. My two complaints and reason for a four are: (1) I thought Naomi Watts was lifeless as a midwife that enters this unseemly underworld of crime. At times, I was frustrated by her seeming naievete and cluelessness to the situations she put herself in. (2) Without revealing any of the ending, I was a bit disappointed in the ending of the movie. While i don't like neat endings, the ending felt a little too abrupt in many ways and too tidy in others. Lastly, I felt Cronenberg was more judicious in his use of screen violence in the film.
While there were a few hard-to-watch scenes, they contributed to and added dimension to the movie, rather than being gratuitous. The reality is the world of organized crime is a brutal and violent world and not reflecting that would have raised questions about the authenticity of the world he was portraying. Additionally, the performances by Armin Mueller-Stahl (Semyon) and Vincent Cassel (Kirill) as father and son gangsters are top-notch.
Overall, this is a movie worth seeing, especially for the powerful performance by Mortensen.
Customer Rating:
Summary: dark movie, darker viggo
Comment: You've seen the description of this movie, so I'll skip that. It's dark, violent, slow-moving at times, and very predictable until the end of the movie where you're rewarding with a slight twist in the story. Gritty, gruesome, and ALOT of Russian language lessons. If you like mobster movies, this one might be for you. If not, pass...
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