dbborroughs
Norman Reedus plays a computer hacker who is brought from New York to Moscow by a Russian gangster in a plot involving 40 million dollars. Stand out performances and great location photography almost make up for a poorly written script. There is something about the plot that never rings true, which is a shame since the cast seems to go the extra mile to try sell the silliness of it all. I'm of two or three minds about the film in that I really liked bits of it but other bits left me cold, so cold that it over shadows the good stuff. Some how I with that whom ever wrote this had some idea of reality. That said I did like the end, and in a weird way would say give the film a go if you run across it on cable. (But what is Andrei Konchalovsky doing as a writer and producer of this film? Clearly his Tango and Cash are showing)
envydesign
This movie is a fresh and wild look into Russia. It has quirky humor and offbeat characters, is engrossing in its visual style, and Norman Reedus is terrific as an American fish out of water. The Russian ensemble cast - especially Slava Schoot as the violent but lovable character Dolphin - is exceptional. It exposed me to locations and people I have never seen before on screen and its subtle plot twists held my interest throughout. There is a love story amidst the violence with the beautiful character Maya (Xusha Buravsky) which brings sensitivity to the movie. And, the soundtrack of Russian musicians is tight.
Paul Thompson
Really enjoyed this film. The characters and dialogue helped to bring this story to life. I thought it was a love story with an action twist. It was refreshing to watch a protagonist whose journey was fully thought out by the writer. Being able to watch Ray transform from his down and out beginning without getting heavy handed was nice. It helped that Norman Reedus was good in the role. The movie does not fall apart at the end like most films seem to.I wasn't surprised to see that the writer also directed the film. Beautifully crafted with nice cinematography. I recommend this film.
Carson Trent
Totally in grade-able judging by any standard, both action flick-wise and cinematic industry cooperation-wise.Reedus goes to Moscow to join the full Russian cast, well chosen, by the way, to hack into whatever, as it turns out, because at the end all narrative goes berserk in a frenzy attempt to be both entertaining and locally flavored with a political undertone, with a twist of dramatic thrill shoved in the mix.First half watchable...second half both laughable and boring, but still I just had to watch it to the end to be certain it has an ending. I was glad to discover that it does.