spfitz

Of all the Italian-American mobster movies made in the last decade, this one is somewhere at the bottom. The acting was not too bad, but the script was cartoonish and unreal. The characters were too simple. Let me take back what I said about this being a bad mobster movie, because it really isn't a mobster movie at all. The main characters are somewhat affected by the mob, but only one of them is involved in it, and the mob plays little role in the film. One wonders why it was even included. Anyhow, the story comes-off as being worn out, because we've seen the same story in so many other movies of youth escaping the inner city, that were better done.

The plot in this movie is very thin, and there is not much acting. Val Kilmer--I don't know why he agreed to do this movie--plays a minor role as a gang leader. In short, the movie is tedious to watch.

One guy, who sort of resembles an archeology/religion professor, is exploring a subterranean area of Moscow, that has some history connected to railway construction and the Bolshevik revolution. A church tragedy in that history makes the exploration "spiritual" and spirits of a malevolent intent haunt the underground ruins. A friend of the professor decides to find his friend in the underground and hires a couple of Russian guides. The entire movie is based on this plot and contains much repeated footage of the underground, and some camera effects; much like those seen in "Day Watch", "Night Watch", etc.