Product Description

Studio: Kino International Release Date: 07/31/2007 Run time: 96 minutes

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #21601 in DVD
• Brand: Kino Video
• Released on: 2007-02-06
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Aspect ratio: 1.66:1
• Formats: Closed-captioned, Color, DVD, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC
• Original language: English, French, Russian
• Subtitled in: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 99 minutes

Amazon.com
Just as it did for Hollywood directors during the Depression--the era of Cagney and Raft--the gangster genre in the 1990s allows Russian filmmakers to deal with the political and personal issues of a devastated society, while paying due attention to action and drama. In Brother, Sergei Bodrov Jr. (the son of the director of Prisoner of the Mountains, in which he also stars) plays Danila, a pale young man from the provinces returning home from his military service. He brings nothing with him but an instinctive skill for violence--which he demonstrates when he wanders through a movie set and casually beats up the goons who have been sent to run him off. Heading for St. Petersburg, Danila hooks up with his admired older brother Viktor, now a highly paid hit man. When Viktor farms out a job to Danila, and the younger brother proves to be the greater talent. He goes into business for himself, acquiring new clothes and a new mistress. But with new success comes new enemies; Danila learns to watch his back.

Director Aleksei Balabanov is disturbed by his utterly immoral hero, but is also deeply sympathetic to him--the boy is like an animal, instinctively making his way through an urban wilderness filled with rust and muck. Like the Cagney of Public Enemy, he's an enterprising young businessman who's taken his initiative too far. Danila, who expresses a grunting, intolerant nationalism between gunshots, is last seen heading to Moscow, bringing his country's future with him. No one stands in his way. --Dave Kehr

Customer Reviews

The point
It seems that many have missed the main idea of the movie, it's not really about going around and shooting everybody who is bad. This movie really portray's peoples morals and relations towards each other. How they were and how they changed in a new govermental structure. There is something to think about in this movie and there is a lot to learn. Considering that many univercities use it in sociology classes. This movie might not have hollywood special effects,it does not follow same senceless plot,and it doesn't have fearless Rambo running around like in majority of action movies. But it shows how things are with ordinary people. I woiuld say that this movie has a bite of harsh reality. I would highly recommend this movie. Also i would like to point out that if you saw Brother then you should see second movie Brother 2, which takes place in USA.

One of the best " postSoviet time " Russian films .
Just a kid . Passing by a first scene of the movie ... at wrong place , at wrong time . And we glad , he did . After few minutes he gets our full attention . We realise , he just cameback from the war . We don't know , which one ... but we do . Russian policeman asked him , what exsecly he did there ... I was in the office ... a clerk ,- he unswers . But we know , he didn't . This film reminded me American movie " Coldblooded ". Very quiet , simple , coldblooded and likebale guy . Honest and lifesmart . We understand , that he crossed his line in other place , and now he just doing his job - surviving himself , and saving his brother and few friends from agony and brutality of " NEW " mother Russia . Very deep and realistic film . Very solid 5 stars . Exellent soundreck too .
PS : As Afghan veteran , I can feel Sergey Bodrov's character ... He is so lost in fake reality of modern Russia ...

Unexpectedly Good
Brother was one of those low budget action flicks that succeeded against all odds. The story itself was simple yet surprisingly effective. Danilla is a 23 year old kid just released from Russian military service. After loafing around his home town for a while, he travels to St. Petersburg to hook up with his older brother. But guess what: The brother is a mafia wiseguy, and he puts Dannila to work as a contract hitman. Weren't expecting that, were you?

What I loved about Brother is that Danilla is basically just a kid wants to get drunk, get laid, and listen to his favorite rock band. His responsibilities as a mafia hitman constantly get in the way of having a good time. It was as if he were working at McDonalds, and just wanted to get his shift over with so he could go party. There is something carefree and beautiful about the Danilla character, in spite of the fact that he is a killer and an anti-semite. You can forgive all sorts of character flaws when someone is still young and trying to figure life out. Strictly from the picture on the DVD cover, one might assume that there is a HIGH probabibility that Brother is just another crappy shootem up action/mafia movie. What I saw was an excellent depiction of what its like to be in your early 20s - with performances even non-Russian audiences will appreciate.