Leviathan (2014)

Dir. Andrey Zvyagintsev

“A Russian fisherman fights back when a corrupt mayor tries to seize possession of his ancestral home.”

This is a good, solid piece of Russian filmmaking. It’s themes are well executed and visual motifs resonate really well with the underlying religious dogma that spills out over the course of the film; accepting ones place, not questioning those in power, cling on to hope, the hope that things will get better until the ever-present waves wash us all away. The film can be a little self indulgent in places, I think a good 15–30mins could be shaved off but overall the film is somewhat satisfying. It paints a delicate, painful portrait of the human condition and seeks to lay bare Russia’s insides. Zvyagintsev, one of my favourite directors, is still yet to better his work on the 2003 film The Return.