Tells a fascinating and unsettling true story, and does so well, without pretending to have all the answers.

This is a must-see and one of the best documentaries - and films - of this year.

It's easily one of the freshest, sharpest and most enjoyable films of this year.

The film may be flawed, but its message is not.

In general great plot and acting. I was expecting some bad pronunciation but Morrison exceeded all expectations. He shows what kind of great acting skills he has in this movie and the feeling for life in the Russian underground world. I think that the social and cultural element of the Russians is portrayed really good and the very clear contradiction between the two worlds of Anna and Nicolai. However, the movie is going into detail on some elements in the beginning while it lacks the real emotions of the main characters. Why did Nicolai join the cops? Why is Kirill so aggressive about his dad (something happened in the past) What did he find in Nicolai that attractive.. is there an emotional connection? (there is a hint about him being gay). I liked the movie for the 90 minutes that it fed me, but I've loved to get a lot more details and a better ending. It felt like they just cut it off in the end.

You can't mention "Eastern Promises" without also bringing up Viggo Mortensen, whom, in a movie full of great acting, leads the pack. That Russian accent couldn't have been easy to master, yet he wears it like a tailored suit. And he's so restrained composed in this role - you know he's a scary bastard, but he never raises his voice. And get a load of the mundane look on his face as he snips a corpse's fingers for disposal.Aside from the sporadic bouts of violence (particularly the brutal bathhouse fight scene), the movie is largely as quiet as its star. Especially for a seedy gangster movie. And despite the dark undercurrent flowing throughout, there's a sweetness at the movie's end that seems life-affirming in the face of all of this grisly death. Just as it is seemingly damning.I guess I didn't know what to expect with this, but it sucked me right in.7/10

A lot Promising Viggo Mortensen, alongside with the smoothly menacing Mueller-Stahl, is the star of this film. But Mortensen, his killer looks, his shades, that one crooked smile, the thick accent and designer clothes, of which 'the British Telegraph'notices that the 'shirt's collar is so high that his throat is barely visible, he straddles the line between cartoon-inhuman villains like Max Headroom and Robocop', steals the show.As one might expect, Eastern Promises has its fair amount of ultra violence, which Cronenberg seems to enjoy adding even when his films appeal most to adult audiences. Such as the opening: A brutal barbershop scene - The movie itself is well done, with a relatively well-paced story, some interesting developments and strong characters.A Mafia Boss, who looks as if a simple restaurant owner but turns out to be the head of Vory V Zakone (people-traffickers). And obviously the heir to the throne the alcoholic son Kirill (Vincent Cassel) and his chauffeur, Nikolai (Viggo Mortensen). Lastly, an east London midwife nurse, Anna (Naomi Watts), determined to get to the source of the death of a 14-year-old sex slave, who's infant she helped delivered, with the business card she found in the teenager's diary which after translated by her uncle turns out to be full of incriminating details about drugs and prostitution.The film is partly sets the audience on a thriller ride about whether or not this decent characters will avoid a violent end, or will end up violently. Even with great direction and writing, a few questions remains; as it does! But as for the 'Cast' - their top notch performances, surely lived up way beyond expectations - As Promised!

This is one of the greatest UK produced movies. UK movie industry is and will always be thousands of times more entertaining than Hollywood's crap.In this movie for instance.. the plots are simultaneous and unpredictive. Hollywood's scenes are too predictive and we even know what the actors will say before they say it.In the case of Eastern Promises, the acting is beautiful. Viggo's Russian is fantastic and I made believe he was actually Russian, until I checked out that he's originally Norwegian.The whole setting of the Russian family with their foot struck in London's underbelly is fascinating; especially the wickedness of Viggo's undercover role.Viggo is one of the most talented actors of this age. Every movie he is in, he does a marvelous job in acting it out; unlike brad pitt for instance.. every movie i see brad pitt not the character he's portraying... not to mention the stupidity of his roles.Nevertheless, UK movie industry is producing spectacular films and I feel very entertained watching each and everyone of them.