Reza Shaikhly – Google

I could give it four stars, but I decrement one because of too much satire and mixing things up which push it away of being a pure masterpiece. It is a very good work and half of its moments are great, but as a whole, doesn't have much to take away in the end. It's more like a man's scars who is traumatized by Stalin's regime, and then starts changing them intto words. I don't know, maybe I should read it again to talk about it better, but at least I expected more, regarding all those praises about it. I wasn't about to discourage you about reading it, you should read it, specially if you are a fan of Russian literature.

Excellent mystery/thriller/crime/drama, even if it seems slow at start, which was not for me at all. This is a very clever movie and absorbed me from the start to the end. Performances by actors/actresses is quite remarkable, especially the protagonist, Mark Rylance. The story and script is quite original and fitting in the chosen period of time. I had a feeling that I should watch it again, right at the end of the movie.

*Spoilers included* Didn't work for me to be honest. Two plots got mixed which didn't deliver any structural story. Many shots were long and tedious. A troubled girl with not much self-respect that tries to save her not-working-relation with his boyfriend, agrees to travel with her to a remote rural place in north of Europe. Even he invited her reluctantly. From that point onward we don't get anything about relation and its psychology, except the very final scene that she choses him to be scarified and burned alive. About a horror/mystery genre and plot, those graphic shattered skulls and faces were more disgusting thatn terrifying, and even all threads were quite predictable. We had four intellectual, high educated, young sharp guys who were suspect from early stages, but agreed to eat and drink anything they offered to them and even use any substance they are provided, and go straight to their ultimate death, well done. And about that bear, oh god, can't be more disgusting, I don't think that even happened in 12th century. Even children of the community are learning the slaughter of the bear. And remember they praised nature! And this ceremony happens once every 90 years, so do not question police involvement! Acting were above average and quite acceptable.