Steppenwolf

First and foremost, this is a movie that led me to do something that I've only done a handful of times in my life: blind-buy.

I'm glad I did.

The trailer for the movie is that good and it completely sold me when I first saw it. When the movie was finally released, I jumped on it. This movie is dark, gritty, badass and unforgiving. Despite its bleak story and atmosphere, it does have a heart at its center. The lead, played by Berik Aitzhanov, does an excellent job of making you disgusted with his character in one scene while you're completely rooting for him the next. His partner in crime, so to speak, played by Anna Starchenko, is also phenomenal throughout the entire film. The cinematography is gorgeous, the direction is stellar and the sound, whether it be the loud and bombastic AK-47 fire to the sound of gravel under boots, it's all top-notch.

This is a movie that I plan to keep in my general rotation for many years to come.

Definitely worth checking out.

This is exactly how I want my world cinema. All too often it is deeply ponderous character studies. That is the creator's right. However, in the case of Adilkhan Yerzhanov, he was clearly brought up on the same westerns action movies that I was. In the first five minutes we have an overt reference to The Searchers and this bloody revenge thriller with a Kazakhstan twist is a great addition to the action genre.

The film has a little to say about the political situation and freedom of speech issues in Kazakhstan. But first and foremost it's a bleak, gory, action thriller. The cinematography is superb using the Eurasian Steppe as a desolate background. This is a postmodern western imagine Drive meets A Fist Full of Dollars filmed in Central Asia. Berik Aytzhanov, the titular character, appears to have been hewn out of granite and is as cool as John Wick or Dirty Harry under fire. Anna Starchenko does a great job of playing a very disturbed woman and the two of them create an unlikely bond across an almost ethereal landscape the short composition and lighting always being on point.

Beyond the bone actually - no pun intended. We were warned that the main character would be ... almost evil I reckon! You could call him that. He (and the other main character) have some mental issues ... they are not totally there ... which I reckon is a connection they have ... even if a fragile one at best.

The acting is good - the story (road movie style with lots ... and lots of blood and violence) easy enough to follow. The movie is really not for anyone with sensitive feelings ... you will be shocked ... because this really goes all the way. Not limb to limb ... but in the not taking any prisoners kind of way (again no pun intended).

The movie is about family - and revenge ... is there any good here? You might be able to find it ... but there is a general feeling of desperation ... and giving in to letting go ... any political connection is surely only coincidental ... right?