Leviathan (2014)

Director: Andrey Zvyaginstev
Stars: Aleksey Serebryakov, Elena Lyadova, Roman Madyanov
Runtime: 140 minutes

Synopsis: In a Russian coastal town, Kolya is forced to fight the corrupt mayor when he is told that his house will be demolished. He recruits a lawyer friend to help, but the man's arrival brings further misfortune for Kolya and his family.

Performances: 5/5
Screenplay: 5/5
Editing: 5/5
Cinematography: 5/5

Verdict: Andrey Zvyaginstev is slowly but surely becoming one of my favorite working directors. Prior to "Leviathan", I had only seen one movie of his, "Loveless", which I consider to be one of my favorites of 2017. "Leviathan" came out 3 years earlier, and is equally captivating.

What I love about Zvyaginstev is the fact that he understands that a story is only as good as the characters taking part in it. He makes sure to flesh out every single one of them organically and without the help of poorly incorporated exposition scenes, even at times letting the audience figure out things that aren't explicitly shown or told, to the point where we understand their motives and struggles. The writing, as well as the exemplary performances by a cast that clearly understood the characters they were playing, made the narrative, which deals with heavy themes such as humanity, religion, and the abuse of power, so much more raw and impactful.

I absolutely adored everything about this film, including the way it was shot. I truthfully cannot think of anything negative to say about it. However, I do feel the necessity to mention that the Russian film does require patience to be enjoyed to its fullest, and could be perceived as slow by many, especially the first 30 minutes or so.

FINAL GRADE: 10/10