Review of Eastern Promises (2007) by Danny R — 07 Jan 2012

David Cronenberg's mesmerizing thriller concerning a notorious Russian mob family and the sex trafficking of young girls in London. Viggo Mortsensen delivers a powerful, charismatic performance that earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor; as Nickolai Luzhin a mob driver who finds his ties to a ruthless Russian crime family is shaken when he crosses path with a midwife named Anna Khitrova, played superbly by Naomi Watts who has accidentally uncovered evidence against Semyon the monstrous crimelord of the family, played brilliantly by Amin Mueller-Stahl who has drugged and raped a 14-year-old sex slave that has died giving birth to his daughter in the hospital that Anna works at: Anna finds the deceased teenage mother's diary containing information that could put Semyon away for good; and that he will kill for.

Superlative direction by David Cronenberg with outstanding supporting performances by Vincent Cassel, Sinead Cusack, Josef Altin, Mina E. Mina and Donald Sumpter. There is a show-stopping deadly fight at a bathhouse steamroom between a totally naked Mortensen and two murderous thugs that is intensely exciting and brutal.

A hard-hitting and provocative entertainment. Highly Recommended.