Eastern Promises

My first movie of 2008 turned out to be an excellent thriller helmed by David Cronenberg. The acclaimed director of "A History Violence" (which I missed coz it was rated R21 IIRC) reteams with Viggo Mortensen - best known as Aragorn of LOTR fame - and ropes in Naomi Watts (21 grams, King Kong) to create sufficient mainstream appeal for a film that is otherwise not your common Hollywood fare.

The fact that "Eastern" managed to keep me in rapt attention for the entire length of the movie bears testimony to the accomplishments of the script, direction, production, and acting. It certainly didn't seem like a 1 hr 41 min movie, and that's as great a compliment as I could give.

If "Enchanted" is your typical colourful Disney/Hollywood illusion/delusion of a near-perfect world where characters sing, dance, fall in love and live happily ever after after a few minor hiccups, "Eastern" is the antithesis, and possibly much closer to reality. Cold, dark and harsh, it explores the "dark side" of human nature, and recognises that people may not be what, or who, they seem, because the line between "good" and "bad" is never as distinct as we'd like it to be. The characters are self-aware and sophisticated, motivated by different forces but so inextricably intertwined that you'd never doubt, for a moment, that you'd do what they've done had you been in their shoes.

And not surprisingly, the most recognition goes to Mortensen's daring, and at the same time, nuanced performance, "stunning in its intensity and cunning in its ambiguity" (Philadelphia Inquirer) - you really have to see it to understand. It "lends a moral complexity to Eastern Promises that makes it much more than just a very accomplished action thriller" (New York Post). As for the much reported nude fight scene - and yes, you do get to see Mortensen's willy for those interested - I'd leave you to come to your own conclusions.

Of course, one could look at the violence and deem it as excessive and sensationalistic (akin to the sex in "Lust, Caution"), but its stark protrayal of gory brutality is very much justified in creating an awareness of the circumstances the characters are thrusted into, and hence genuine fear and empathy without which the gravitas of the film would be seriously diminished.

Perhaps USA Today best sums it up: "If you don't mind bloodshed and are drawn to taut thrillers with fascinating characters portrayed skillfully, Eastern Promises is just the ticket."

P.S. And I almost forgot about the brilliant Golden Globes-nominated score! Some of the riffs sounded vaguely familiar, and I instantly understood why when I saw the credits - the score is by Howard Shore, who composed, orchestrated, conducted and produced (most of) the music for the entire LOTR trilogy - my all-time favourite soundtrack.