[left]Danila Bagrov (Sergej Bodrov Jr.), recently stationed with the army in Chechnya, comes home to a small town in rural Russia. Almost immediately, he gets in trouble with a movie crew filming in the area. His mother, eager for him to start working, urges him to travel to St. Petersburg to find his brother, Viktor
(Viktor Sukhorukov). She tells him that he is doing well there and will help Danila settle in. Danila journeys into St. Petersburg only to find out that his brother works as a contract killer. His brother, a coward, tricks Danila into killing his target for him, thereby exposing Danila to the full force of the Russian mafia. Thought Danila was endowed with superman-like qualities that may seem too exaggerated to a Western audience, he is still a loveable and interesting character. The late Sergei Bodrov Jr. gives a stunning performance as this young man trying to survive in the harsh Russian underworld. This film is a must see for fans of mob movies like The Godfather or Goodfellas. I've also heard from several people that Brat gives a good description of life in St. Petersburg in the mid-90s. A stunning film and a must-see for all movie-enthusiasts. [/left]
July 10, 2005
