i can't remember the last time i saw a russian film
possibly the ark one - the hermitage - extraordinary film/place
this one tempting purely for the promo photo - whale bones on a beach
and that in relation to the title - leviathan - large sea monster - or whale
the other attraction being that philip glass composed the soundtrack
in the opening scenes that is to the fore - his unmistakable motif
we're in northern russia where the days are long and quite dark
several scenes around a small seaside town but no action as yet
so me then thinking - hmmm - maybe there is no actual narrative
a car seen driving - arrives at the train station, a passenger picked up
returning to the house and then the men move inside and the talk starts
and the vodka starts flowing - a clear reminder of where we are located
seems kolya has a legal problem and has drafted in his lawyer brother dmitri
corrupt mayor vadim is trying to get a court decree to obtain kolya's house
the house built by kolya that he shares with wife lilya and only child roma
kolya is a respected mechanic and runs a car repair business downstairs
but being oceanside it seems vadim has plans to build a large hotel there
the court scene fairly clearly showing the level of corruption at play
a officer of the court rapidly reading the case and passed just as quickly
the vodka drowning the sorrows at home that night when vadim calls
he is feeling very cocky and hot-headed kolya ready to take him on
fortunately dmitri manages to hold him at bay as vadim departs
next day filing a likely futile appeal kolya is arrested and locked up
while behind bars dmitri and lilya get it on at the hotel he is staying
he is released and then family and friends are off on a shooting trip
target practice actually and an excuse to drink vodka and eat meat
a crude bar-b-que in a bleak seaside setting and guns to the fore
one of the party producing an ak47 to take down all the bottles
dmitri and lilya manage to sneak away but are busted by a child
pursued by kolya and all we hear is gunfire and loud shouting
dmitri then seen on a train high-tailing it out of town for good
lilya looking worse for wear and kolya clearly badly hungover
roma has been a witness to the infidelity and now hates his mum
it's a very sad situation for kolya - his life spinning out of control
a chance meeting with the town priest who spins the parable of job
god's justice in the face of human suffering - why do the righteous suffer?
a hint that if kolya was a regular church-goer he would not incur god's wrath
kolya not convinced of this argument though forgiveness is within him
he is seen making up to lilya for he does love his pretty wife deeply
but her guilt is over-powering her especially the rejection by her son
she is seen wandering off to the clifftops - observing a frolicking whale
a powerful message in itself - and that is the last we see of her alive
her body recovered several days later and of course kolya in despair
vodka again - hits the bottle bigtime and is on a very long bender
his son pleading with him to straighten up to which he briefly does
but vadim really has it in for him and next he is charged with murder
seems there were hammer blows on lilya's body and he the prime suspect
in a fit of jealous rage he had threatened to kill his brother and his wife
no chance in court of course and he is sent to prison for 15 years
final scenes and roma seen wandering around the beached whale
very powerful imagery of leviathan - the monster from the deep
come to pay a visit to this small town and this innocent man
but more than that - the russian way of life laid bare here
corruption - vodka - isolation - bleakness - desperation
this film reminded me of the hunt - the innocent victim
totally absorbing - russia well represented at the nziff
