Friday, September 21, 2007

Sword Bearer

What happens if you give an ordinary person extraordinary power? In post-industrial Russia, it's not pretty. Super power fantasy films have been moving more and more towards dark and gritty, in contrast to the magical journey themes of the 1970s and 80s. Sword Bearer dispenses of any sense of the epic, and instead concentrates on the destruction such an ability could cause if not controlled or understood. The story is very well told, acted, and filmed, but the brief moments of absolute beauty are surrounded by overwhelming darkness and despair.

Sword Bearer
2006, 110 minutes, directed by Filipp Yankovsky

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