Review of Battleship Potemkin (1925) by Rune B — 06 Jul 2010

Follows the style of Eisenstein's first full-length film, Strike, with its strong imagery of clenched fists, walls of impenetrable authority figures, and violence against the innocent. They are films chronicling another time, in a different place, where collectivism is held high above individuals.

I was drawn into this film more than Strike, but they both jar me profoundly, in a negative way. I enjoy the cinematography greatly: Eisenstein has a great eye for powerful shots that stir emotion. But the plot here again feels messy and scatter-shot.

The people of Odessa decide to assist the Potemkin's crew in fighting for a better country, but then they are mercilessly slaughtered while the Potemkin looks on...not a very helpful crew! This film, more than the first, smelt like propaganda, and maybe that's why it is so wildly adored, for the influence it had in Russia and abroad.

I suppose this would feel like a grander film if I didn't already know how the Communist movement would be nearly as bad as Tsarist Russia. It makes the movie ring hollow, despite its attempt to make the sailors heroes.

I felt like they were misled.