Product Description

Viggo Mortensen and Academy Award® nominee Naomi Watts star in this electrifying thriller from critically acclaimed director David Cronenberg (A History of Violence). Criminal mastermind Nikolai (Mortensen) finds his ties to a notorious crime family shaken when he crosses paths with Anna (Watts) a midwife who has accidentally uncovered evidence against them. Their unusual relationship sets off an unstoppable chain of murder mystery and deception in the explosive film critics are calling "provocative and engrossing" (Claudia Puig USA Today).System Requirements:Running Time: 101 Mins.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: MYSTERY/SUSPENSE/CRIME Rating: R UPC: 025193330024 Manufacturer No: 62033300

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #363 in DVD
• Brand: UNIVERSAL STUDIOS HOME ENTERTAIN.
• Released on: 2007-12-23
• Rating: R (Restricted)
• Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
• Formats: AC-3, Color, Dolby, Dubbed, DVD-Video, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC
• Original language: English, Russian, Turkish, Ukrainian
• Subtitled in: English, French, Spanish
• Dubbed in: French
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: 1.00 pounds
• Running time: 101 minutes

Amazon.com
David Cronenberg's signature obsessions flower in Eastern Promises, a stunning look at violence, responsibility, and skin. Near Christmastime in London, a baby is born to a teenage junkie--an event that leads a midwife (Naomi Watts) into the world of the Russian mob. Central to this world is an ambitious enforcer (Viggo Mortensen) who's lately buddied up with the reckless son (Vincent Cassel) of a mob boss (Armin Mueller-Stahl, doing his benign-sinister thing). Screenwriter Steve Knight also wrote Dirty Pretty Things, and in some ways this is a companion piece to that film, though utterly different in style. The plot is classical to the point of being familiar, but Cronenberg doesn't allow anything to become sentimental; he and his peerless cinematographer Peter Suschitzky take a cool, controlled approach to this story. Because of that, when the movie erupts in its (relatively brief) violence, it's genuinely shocking. Cronenberg really puts the viewer through it, as though to shame the easy purveyors of pulp violence--nobody will cheer when the blood runs in this film. Still, Eastern Promises has a furtive humor, nicely conveyed in Viggo Mortensen's highly original performance. Covered in tattoos, his body a scroll depicting his personal history of violence, Mortensen conveys a subtle blend of resolve and lost-ness. He's a true, haunting mystery man. --Robert Horton

Stills from Eastern Promises (click for larger image). Photos by Peter Mountain.

Vincent Cassel (left) and Viggo Mortensen (right) star in David Cronenberg's EASTERN PROMISES, a Focus Features release.	Armin Mueller-Stahl (center) stars in David Cronenberg's EASTERN PROMISES, a Focus Features release.	Viggo Mortensen (left) and Naomi Watts (right) star in David Cronenberg's EASTERN PROMISES, a Focus Features release.
Viggo Mortensen (left) and Naomi Watts (right) star in David Cronenberg's EASTERN PROMISES, a Focus Features release.	Naomi Watts stars in David Cronenberg's new thriller EASTERN PROMISES, a Focus Features release.	Armin Mueller-Stahl (left) and Naomi Watt (right) star in David Cronenberg's EASTERN PROMISES, a Focus Features release.
Mina E. Mina (left), Vincent Cassel (center) and Viggo Mortensen (right) star in David Cronenberg's EASTERN PROMISES, a Focus Features release.	Vincent Cassel stars in David Cronenberg's EASTERN PROMISES, a Focus Features release.	Viggo Mortensen stars in David Cronenberg's EASTERN PROMISES, a Focus Features release.

Customer Reviews

ARE YOU PEOPLE KIDDING?????
This review of Eastern Promises will be short and sweet (sorta). With critically acclaimed reviews and high high expectations, this movie was by far the BIGGEST disappointment of any movie I have seen in the last year (besides Michael Clayton, sorry George, wrong script to choose). I am a fan of Viggo Mortensen and think he is a great actor, but not only was his character somewhat dull but he barely said anything throughout the movie. I know, that's a small issue. The big issue at hand is the how ridiculously slow this movie moved. My husband and I are movie fanatics and were bored to death watching this movie. Also in many reviews people said the ending was a crazy twist and a huge surprise. Well, I will compare the movie to a wilting rose, it got worse and worse as the movie went on. If you are down with watching a movie that will bore you to tears and make you want to hurt yourself while watching the film, be my guest. But, if you would rather spend your time doing something worthwhile, PLEASE HEED MY WORDS AND WATCH ANOTHER MOVIE THAT HAS A POINT, A WELL WRITTEN PLOT, GOOD CINEMATOGRAPHY, MUSIC, ACTING, ETC... (TRY PAN'S LABYRINTH AND LET GUILLERMO DEL TORO TAKE YOUR BREATH AWAY WITH A PURE MASTERPIECE)

One of the greatest projects of 2007!
The progressive artistic decantation of David Cronenberg through all these years is more than obvious. Since "Spider", "A history of violence" and now with his "Eastern promises" have become him a true referential director, with a very personal style and absolute domain of the cinematographic language. His films are featured by a distinctive expression without necessarily falling into a "commercial label". He just leaves besides unanswered questions, like this terrible fact around the presence of the Russian mob in London.

Cronenberg makes of the violence not a goal but a device to justify it as a mere surviving mechanism. Two well opposite extremes of an ethic chain like a nurse and a driver of the son of a well known "Russian Godfather" will involve themselves around a painful circumstance.

The entire cast was splendid, but it's worthy to remark the impressive performance of Vigo Mortensen as the cold driver and the absorbing acting of Armin Mûller Stahl (Symeon) one of the ten best living actors in the world , make of this original proposal a must see.

Don't miss it!

Not what I expected.
I really thought this movie would have been better. It had a good storyline attached to it but I expected more action and I definately didn't expect such a lame ending. I wouldn't have minded the lack of action if there was a much better ending. I would rent before I buy.