Eastern Promises 09/23/07

I came into this movie with a bias against David Cronenberg the director. Almost an ultimatum. Fool me once, shame on me. Fool me twice, well screw you I won't see any more of you're movies. He is, without saying, not one of my favorite directors. In fact I've seen a couple of movies (Naked Lunch, and Madame Butterfly) that sucked more than sucked and one movie (A History of Violence) that left me scarred by the grotesque violence and befuddled by a strange ending. If this one wasn't great like they all said, then I would stick with my instincts and never see another of his movies again.
As it turns out I've added a corollary to my anti-Cronenberg sentiment. Don't see anyone of his movies except the ones with Viggo Mortensen in it. These two were made for each other and together they are turning in the best work either of them have ever done. This movie is a magnum opus of Mortensen. It's his classic. Most people will probably know him from Lord of the Rings, but this was the role he was born for and probably will be remembered for. There's screen presence and then there's Screen Presence and Viggo's gangster has the capitalized version. He's scary like no other. His demeanor is so controlled and intense. His posture is so straight. His hair is slick and he's covered in tattoos. When he's naked he's still not naked. He's got armor. This guy doesn't play a tough macho guy, he is a tough guy. And its not in you're face, it's outward and inward and all the way through played subtly in an over top way. Viggo would look from left to right and I would be like "whoa, he just looked that way. That was so awesome." That's Screen Presence. The guy is hypnotic.
Unfortunately Cronenberg plays the story safe near the end when he should be exploding it. It isn't a great story but its got a great charachter and just for Mortensen I would recommend it. Keep in mind that this is Cronenberg of course, so when someone gets stabbed or has their throat slit or is attacked in a steam room they really do get stabbed, have their throat slit, and fight for their lives in a steam room. It's cringe inducing violence, but hey, that's Cronenberg. You've been duly warned.