Leviathan is not a simple film. The plot
is easily described and the approach is fairly direct, but there are layers
upon layers of meaning and significance to be garnered from Andrey
Zvyagintsev’s film. This is a movie that begs to be analyzed rather than
reviewed, leaving me struggling to find the appropriate words for those who
have not yet experienced it. While wholly Russian in tone and style, Leviathan is also universally accessible
in dealing with issues of pain and suffering. Though there is plenty of
political injustice spearheading this struggle, the movie is more interested in
the human reaction to the unfairness of life, essentially playing out a
modern-day parable from the Book of Job.
The themes and
ideas of the movie may come from biblical inspiration, but the plot itself also
utilizes a series of actual events that occurred in both Granby ,
Colorado and in Kirovsk, Murmansk Moscow
Kolya takes a
variety of approaches in attempting to fight the injustice set against him by
local officials, all to no avail. Despite the pleas from his wife (Elena
Lyadova) to simply move away, Kolya insists on staying to fight for the right
to remain in the house he built with his own hands. This may be in part to show
his teenage son that it is important to stand up for oneself, though eventually
it is clear that there is an issue of ego which refuses to allow Kolya to
submit. When his attempts to fight the system through valid legal procedure are
unsuccessful, Kolya and his lawyer turn to their own questionable methods as a
last effort to fight the corruption.
Zvyagintsev
wisely layers the film with humor and humanity, usually within sequences of
heavy vodka consumption and the dynamics of small-town relationships. This is a
necessary break from the constant onslaught of injustice which runs through the
141-minute running-time, beginning to end. Somber as the subject and individual
events are, it is helpful to have the tone of the film leavened slightly. Even
with this complexly accomplished filmmaking, it is nearly impossible to finish
the film without feeling a sense of anger and despair, not just for the
fictional story told but also the likeliness of events such as these to occur
in real life.
The film itself
is gorgeously shot, in contrast to the ugliness of the underlining events
taking place in the seaside territory, and looks fantastic on high definition
Blu-ray. The other benefits of this disc over the DVD release are a handful of
exclusive special features, including deleted scenes and a Q&A with Zvyagintsev
from the Toronto International Film Festival. Additionally in the extras is a
making-of featurette, as well as a feature-length commentary with Zvyagintsev
and producer Alexander Rodnyansky.
Entertainment Value:
7/10
Quality of
Filmmaking: 8.5/10
Historical
Significance: 7.5/10
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