Review of Leviathan (2014) by Matt C — 15 Feb 2015

Well, I'm happy that I saw this on a Sunday. Given that I didn't know much about Leviathan's plot before seeing it, I was so pleasantly surprised and affected by its Biblical themes. While last year's terrific Calvary paralleled Jesus Christ's last days, Leviathan parallels the story of Job up to a point.

I won't spoil anything, but I like that it both follows and differentiates itself from the story it was inspired by. This is a gorgeous movie, but don't let the Russian subtitles scare you off.

You won't miss anything aesthetic by reading dialogue. The cinematography is great and reflects the movie's tone greatly as it finds beauty in some extremely desolate and lifeless landscapes. The acting itself is very good across the board, especially considering that all of the actors' emotions transition from Russian to English subtitles seamlessly.

Part of the reason that the actors do such a great job, though, is the script. While there are one or two scenes that seem extraneous and make the film feel a tiny bit bloated at the moment, this movie is very well paced, especially considering its 141-minute runtime.

I also loved how the movie ties up. Again, no spoilers here, but it never loses sight of its themes; if anything, it becomes stronger and stronger. Overall, I was very pleased with Leviathan, and if it weren't for its occasional pacing issues, I would call this a terrific film.

With its very sure balance of several very funny lines and truly tragic moments, this is a movie that can replicate life to great effect. Its real success, though, is how it weaves in Biblical references and themes without feeling heavy-handed or idealized.

I'm happy to see that the Academy make the right choice in nominated this for Best Foreign Language Film. 8.4/10, great, one thumb up, definitely above average, etc.