Maidexpl Entertaining from beginning to end, it maintains the spirit of the franchise while establishing it's own seal with a fun cast

Glucedee It's hard to see any effort in the film. There's no comedy to speak of, no real drama and, worst of all.

TaryBiggBall It was OK. I don't see why everyone loves it so much. It wasn't very smart or deep or well-directed.

Kirandeep Yoder The joyful confection is coated in a sparkly gloss, bright enough to gleam from the darkest, most cynical corners.

Abdirashid Diriye Kalmoy Andrey Zvyagintsev's movie Leviathan (2014) is inspired by a true story that took place in the USA, the director however decided to shoot the movie in Russian in order to depict the conditions of Russians under a corrupt bureaucratic oligarchy. The movie suggests that the conditions of living under a corrupt leadership system isn't unique to one Nation and hence Leviathan intends to be a universal parable about a rigged and corrupt capitalist political system in our modern contemporary society.The title of the movie refers to Thomas Hobbes seminal work Leviathan, a political philosophy work about the nature of liberty and the nation-state. Hobbes argue in his work that there is a need for a sovereign power that should rule instead of humanity being in a state of nature. Since Human beings are political animals and that antagonism is inherent in them, then for stability and avoidance of anarchy they need to surrender their powers and right to a sovereign institution. As its evident in the movie, Hobbes didn't anticipated that the sovereign will be brutal and corrupt to this extent. Modernity's Sovereign institution- the nation state- is run by 'figures' that dwell in a state of Nature. The protagonist Kolya is a hotheaded and rude car mechanic. He lives with his second wife Lilya and a teenage son named Roma from his first marriage.Lilya is a depressed and trouble young beautiful woman and Roma loathe her totally. Lilya works in a fish factory where she cleans fish. This simple family living in a small town in the Barents Sea coast are haunted by the town mayor who is an ever drunk and corrupt. Vadim, the town mayor wants to evict the Kolyas from their land by a court order, and it is evident that the court is under Vadim's thumb. Dmitri, as sophisticated handsome lawyer from Moscow comes to help his former friend Kolya. The court rules against the Kolyas and as they report a trespassing case against the mayor, Kolya is arrested. While in jail Lilya and Dmitri have an impromptu sex in hotel and this leads to a crisis in the Kolya family. Kolya's calamities lead to catastrophes, Lilya commits suicide after he threatened her after her relationship with Dmitri. He is finally arrested and jailed. Roma the teenage boy is taken by a family friend. Finally we come to learn that Kolya's jailing was planned by the town mayor who demolishes their house and take the land. Leviathan is a tragic drama that beautifully pulls its viewers to contemplate the subjects of morality and justice in our modern present day. Kolya is a modern day Job- the figure from the old testament fable- who endures the brutality and trials of living under a corrupt judicial and political oligarchy. Kolya's world just like ours is a world governed by arrogant corrupt politician, smart lawyers and corrupt priests. A priest who looks like a character from Dostoyevski films advise Kolya to endure his trials and be patient like Job and submit his affairs to God. Kolya doesn't heed this advice and ends up being the bleached whale – Leviathan-that we see in the dried sea basins and the movie hence evokes both Hobbes Political tract and the old testament's Job.Parliamentary representative democracy failed. The working class is under the gaze of a corrupt politician and a bent judicial system. Modern democracy is hijacked by crony politicians who employ the state institutions to control dissenting voices from the public, Kolya is finally behind bars as we have seen. The judicial system and the prison are used as a control 'mechanism'. The church expects and instills into the public the conformity the state wants. Modernity with all its facets and institutions turned out to benefit the few ruling elites and the subjects of modernity virtually live in a controlled society. Leviathan is a critique of the social contract theory that emancipated an absolute sovereign power. Foundational principles like justice, equality and right to own property are no longer sustainable under a modern sovereign power without complying with their rules and needs, and those who dissent are then put under the mercy of a corrupt justice and emergency laws. The state, the Judiciary, the prisons and the church/mosque all cooperate the elites to consolidate power in their hands.

Ale A movie can be great for several reasons:an original or creative ideaa good direction that will highlight a beautiful story or an important theme to think oncan cause strong emotions, either for laughs or tearsspectacular special effects or majestic photographyan exciting soundtrack or music selectionpowerful acting or intelligent dialoguesThis film has nothing of the above:is the same old story about a private citizen overwhelmed by the corruption of the politicians and the powerfulThe direction is lazy and without inspiration, anonymousthe strongest emotion I felt was boredom, endless boredomthe special effects did not serve and there are none, though photography is not badthe soundtrack does not exist except for 1 minuteacting is undoubtedly realistic but engagement is the same as listening to the news on TV and dialogues are at the most trivialA movie devoid of any of the above qualities, what score should it have?I gave my answer.

Lee Eisenberg Whether you relate it more to Marvin Heemeyer or the story of Job, Andrey Zvyagintsev's "Leviafan" ("Leviathan" in English) is an impressive piece of work. It's probably a commonplace story, with the officials in an ignored city doing everything possible to serve themselves. It's the sort of movie that feels like a kick in the gut. Although the title physically refers to the whale skeleton, it can abstractly refer to the state's clout.Although it's a long movie, it's still one that grips you. One gets the feeling that these people in these small towns see no future, and so they spend much of their time drinking. Along with this movie, I recommend "The Fool" ("Durak").

eddie_baggins While it moves about as slow as the leviathan at the heart of its title reference, Andrey Zvyagintsev's biblically inspired family drama is worth sticking it out for and while it doesn't have the same impact as his highly thought of 2003 film The Return, Leviathan is a unique and troublesome picture that offers a unique look at Russian life and politics.Loosely based around the Bible story of Job and his many trials, Leviathan is anything but an easy watch and in true Russian fashion, don't go into this experience expecting happy or colourful endings as the path to this tale is fraught with danger, lies and coldly played tactics. Zvyagintsev is a master of mood and he embeds this stunningly well shot and hauntingly scored (Philip Glass provides the films sparsely used tunes) film with an ever ominous cloud of dread and while the film seems set on a certain direction within the first hour, things quickly turn in another way entirely when a fateful camping trip takes place between our films mains players.What takes place between our traveling business/family man Kolya or Nikolay, his oppressed wife Lilya, their lawyer and friend Dmitriy and corrupt local mayor Mer is much better discovered as one watches proceedings take place and there are frequent moments where you feel someone is one up on another only for the narrative to twist conventions and while it remains slightly frustrating that certain questions remain largely under lock and key come the final scenes, Leviathan's web covers a broad enough spectrum that has commentary on everything from the church system in Russia through to Vladimir Putin's ever present figure being both a literal and figurative presence over the country.Understandably recognised at film festivals the world over and awards ceremonies in equal measure (this really is the type of product Cannes and the Academy lap up) Leviathan doesn't break any new ground or truly justify its nearly snail paced plotting but despite there not being much to actually love about this picture, this is a bleak drama filled with deeply unnerving moments which will make it a film you're likely to ponder upon days after the final reels have played out.3 ½ washed up whale carcasses out of 5