Review of Leviathan (2014) by Michael T — 25 Jan 2015
Zvyagintsev manages a searing indictment of contemporary Russian corruption and thuggish leadership within the container of a complex family drama. Kolya and his second wife are being evicted from their pleasant ancestral property in remote Northern Russian by the mayor, a fat pig politician who is close to the church (which turns out to be very important).
His army buddy, a well-connected Moscow lawyer, comes to town to defend him, and, as it happens, to stir up the social dynamics of virtually all the characters. Well-depicted drama with a purpose. All the while I felt fascinated by what felt like a glimpse into the "real" Russia -- a place where kids play with videogames, drink in abandoned church ruins, everybody has a cell phone and a computer and a car, and the church is everywhere.
This review of Leviathan (2014) was written by Michael T on 25 Jan 2015.
Leviathan has generally received very positive reviews.
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