My knowledge on Russian cinema is almost non-existent. To be frank, this was the second Russian film I've ever seen - the first one was 'The Mirror' (1975).
When I saw 'The Mirror', I considered it a somewhat frustrating experience as my introduction to Russian cinema, although it wasn't a bad movie. This one, 'The Return' (2003), was something of another disappointment.
Why was this movie rewarded the way it was is a mystery to me. Notice this: I am not saying this is a bad film. It is by no means a bad movie, it just isn't what I expected.
There is a big deal of crude scenario in the movie, but when the cinematography is beautiful, it really is amazing. And adding to the fantastic landscapes, the camera films it all beautifully.
Then, where did the film fail? The story is the Aquiles's heel. The movie starts very well and promising, especially in the opening scene. But soon it turns out to be a somewhat boring story: after a fight between two brothers, their father comes out of nowhere after having been gone for 12 years. He sleeps before the boys even come back, which doesn't sound very correct. When he wakes up, he doesn't even make a proper self-introduction to the boys and just wants to take them on a holiday and during the trip he shows strange ways to make up for the lost time. It's as if he wants them to be men immediately. Apparently he loves his sons but he doesn't know how to show them love and he has strange ways of showing love. He is emotionally distant and cold, authoritarian and sometimes aggressive. Plus, he seems to get bothered by talking of his past because he doesn't give any proper answers on that matter. Despite all of that, the older son accepts him, while the younger son is highly suspicious of him. Although the younger son has a stupid fit about the food, in other things he is right of being suspicious. Like he says, the guy could even be a gangster. After all, they know nothing about him. Another problem with the film is that it doesn't provide any answers. There are so many unanswered questions, like where has the father been all that time. Why was he gone for 12 years. Why didn't he ever visit his kids. Why didn't he even phone them or write them. Why doesn't he like to talk about his past. Why is he so harsh. What is he up to in his holiday with the boys. Only before his accidental death he (apparently) shows some compassion on the boys, but that's only after a highly suspicious attitude of his, which makes me wonder if his reaction just before his death is supposed to be believable or not.
The boys are well portrayed by the actors. Sad about the early passing of the older one in real life, though. The mysterious father is well portrayed by the actor, a José Mourinho look-alike.
When I saw 'The Mirror', I considered it a somewhat frustrating experience as my introduction to Russian cinema, although it wasn't a bad movie. This one, 'The Return' (2003), was something of another disappointment.
Why was this movie rewarded the way it was is a mystery to me. Notice this: I am not saying this is a bad film. It is by no means a bad movie, it just isn't what I expected.
There is a big deal of crude scenario in the movie, but when the cinematography is beautiful, it really is amazing. And adding to the fantastic landscapes, the camera films it all beautifully.
Then, where did the film fail? The story is the Aquiles's heel. The movie starts very well and promising, especially in the opening scene. But soon it turns out to be a somewhat boring story: after a fight between two brothers, their father comes out of nowhere after having been gone for 12 years. He sleeps before the boys even come back, which doesn't sound very correct. When he wakes up, he doesn't even make a proper self-introduction to the boys and just wants to take them on a holiday and during the trip he shows strange ways to make up for the lost time. It's as if he wants them to be men immediately. Apparently he loves his sons but he doesn't know how to show them love and he has strange ways of showing love. He is emotionally distant and cold, authoritarian and sometimes aggressive. Plus, he seems to get bothered by talking of his past because he doesn't give any proper answers on that matter. Despite all of that, the older son accepts him, while the younger son is highly suspicious of him. Although the younger son has a stupid fit about the food, in other things he is right of being suspicious. Like he says, the guy could even be a gangster. After all, they know nothing about him. Another problem with the film is that it doesn't provide any answers. There are so many unanswered questions, like where has the father been all that time. Why was he gone for 12 years. Why didn't he ever visit his kids. Why didn't he even phone them or write them. Why doesn't he like to talk about his past. Why is he so harsh. What is he up to in his holiday with the boys. Only before his accidental death he (apparently) shows some compassion on the boys, but that's only after a highly suspicious attitude of his, which makes me wonder if his reaction just before his death is supposed to be believable or not.
The boys are well portrayed by the actors. Sad about the early passing of the older one in real life, though. The mysterious father is well portrayed by the actor, a José Mourinho look-alike.