Deadly Code

I wanted to watch this movie because I read the book on which it was loosely based - 'Siberian Education' by one Nikolai Lilin. It is a story of growing up in a criminal community of people that were deported from Siberia to Transistria, a small region in present day Moldova. Whether the story is true or not, it is actually a good read.

Then a read reviews of the movie on imdb and noticed that most critical reviews claim that it unfairly depicts Russia. To me it is like complaining that 'The Godfather' gives Italian Americans a bad name. 'Deadly Code' is not a documentary, even if it shows brief real-life footage to help place the story in time. I do not know if Siberians were ever 'relocated' to Moldova but it is not impossible - criminal societies in USSR / Russia existed and probably still do (thieves in law) and it did happen that the whole ethnic groups were being deported across the country in a short period of time, i.e. Tatars from Crimea to Uzbekistan in 1944.

The movie itself is not an instant classic but it is well made with some great photography, good acting and a story of friendship in interesting times. The pace is rather slow but there is no need to hurry. All in all, a movie worth watching.

Lots of thing will seem familiar in this one, including the sympathetic criminals with a strict moral code, the conflict between the brothers. There isn't much depth in the characters, the flashback scenes are just there for the sake of telling the story.

But there's one thing why should see this movie: everything is just so elaborately made in it. The sets, the cinematography, the dialogues show a huge amount of works. And Salvatore's directing can make even the most pretentious scenes effective. Among the actors, there's no difference between the young Litvanian ones and stars like Malkovich, they're all great. (The only thing that bothered me was the forced and unrealistic Russian accent.)

It's less about its characters and more about guilt and morals, but it's atmosphere makes you forget about all of the weaknesses. It's not really original, but the atmosphere makes it a unique film.

While I appreciate the technical skill of the cinematography, the dialogue, character development, and editing must have been created through an alcoholic haze fueled by bad potato Vodka. It's too bad the cinematographer was not involved in a project that included a competent director and production team. How John Malcovich took on this role must be a fascinating and convoluted story. His performance was no "stretch" and Malcovich's abilities as an actor are not on display in Deadly Code or whatever name this ersatz piece of filming wants to use. The plot is trite and there is nothing fresh or revealing in this "comic book tale" of organized ethnic crime in Russia. This subject matter, when focusing on the transformation of the USSR to the current 15 republics, provides fodder for great movie making. However, this particular story is ludicrous, inexplicable, and simply makes no sense. Malcovich's acting is an over the top campy goof, but the other performances are so weak, especially Kolya's the young lead, that Malcovich's thespian romp seems Olivierarian in comparison. The only redeeming part of this movie, as I mentioned, is the cinematography. Thus, if you are an aspiring film maker, watch this with the sound off. It's the only way to tolerate it.

Assassins as well had a childhood, that's the moral groundwork for this Siberian Education, directed by the Italian Gabriele Salvatores (Mediterraneo); the story forcefully describes the early years of a future Russian mobster and soldier, growing up in a terrible town created by Stalin for criminal outcasts. The film is basically an engrossing duet between the young hero and his. Based on a much-translated book by Nicolai Lilin it stars John Malkovich, resembling a lot Marlon Brando after retrieving from the mafia and certainly being the strength of the film. It was shot in Latvia though set in the former Soviet Union (current Transinistria, part of Moldavia), a location managing to describe properly those years and those tower block estates in the most deprived and dangerous areas. Eleanor Tomlinson too is superb.

I enjoyed this little fictional piece because it's a story about an imaginary clan of criminals in a fictitious province in the USSR that was supposed to have been an open air prison for criminal families from all over the USSR. It isn't meant to be true or true-to-life.

Before seeing this film, I had never liked John Malkovich's characters in any of his films. This character of his was likable. I also liked Peter Stormare's character , Ink, the tattoo artist. The rest of the characters weren't really memorable, but the film was humorous in spots and entertaining on other levels.

Most of the 1 and 2 star reviews attack the story for not being an accurate depiction of life in Siberia. It isn't set in Siberia, it just focuses on a fictitious clan of criminals who were said to have been sent there from Siberia. I'm sure that all of those reviewers feel very self righteous and self satisfied for having set the record straight. Reviewers like those would probably write an entry for the Goofs section that reads: "The guy who is called Grandfather Kuzya is John Malkovich, not Grandfather Kuzya." Enough.