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Having confronted his brother’s betrayal, Danila departs St Petersburg for Moscow with a loaded rifle and case full of cash, He’s reunited with Konstantin,an old army buddy, whose twin brother has signed a crooked deal with a US hockey team. When Konstatin is found dead, Danila sents out for Chicago to deliver his own brand of justice. Director Aleksei Balabanov is at the forefront of the new wave of Russian filmmakers, creating a crime thriller which is Russia’s answer to Get Carter. Continuing from Brother, and starring his leading man, Sergei Bodrov Jr, Brother 2 is an equally uncompromising vision of the darker underbelly of post-Soviet society, controlled by black economy all too evident in America too.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
By Roxy
This sequel to 'Brother' is a very entertaining action thriller with good acting.
I give 4 stars only - it is not as good as its predecessor. In fact they are very different films in their style. 'Brother' is very Russian film, low budget, thought provoking, whereas 'Brother 2' looks more like Hollywood movie packed with action and other gimmicks.
I give 4 stars only - it is not as good as its predecessor. In fact they are very different films in their style. 'Brother' is very Russian film, low budget, thought provoking, whereas 'Brother 2' looks more like Hollywood movie packed with action and other gimmicks.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Whereas Balabanov's first installment, 'Brother', was a cinematographic masterpiece, with excellent dialogue, and a decent story, this second film focuses more on anti-Western sentiments felt in Russian society. America in particular is portrayed rather negatively in the film, with most scenes in the US filmed in quite poor light, and with the majority of Americans shown in the film depicted as greedy, rich, capitalists (whether they work in a skyscraper, or own a brothel). It is interesting to see that the one American shown in a positive way, Ben Johnson, a truck driver, is from the working-class in America, and is a character most Russians could probably identify the most with. The overall portrayl of America, whilst perhaps a little too one-sided, is a refreshing change from the depictions of an idyllic land of opportunity and free democracy.
Overall, the story moves at a fast pace, with a much higher body count, than of that in 'Brother'. The shots of Moscow aren't quite as stunning as those of St. Petersburg in the first film, and there is some quite dubious camera work towards the end of the film, as we see Danila, the main character, walking around with a gun, from a first-person perspecitve, common to many computer games. A good idea, but it didn't quite pay off.
The message is a clear warning however to the Russian people about some of the dangers of capitalism, as ultimately, each person who succumbs to the temptation of the pursuit of vast wealth in the film, is consumed by it.
On another level, the film will still be enjoyable to the casual viewer with no real interest in contemporary Russian society, with an interesting, although not particularly moving plot, but some parts do challange the boundaries of belief.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
By MISS K ALLEN
I did have some doubts when I bought this DVD that it might not live up to the precedent set by the first film in the series. However, I was pleasantly surprised. Funnily enough, in some ways it's a feel-good film - Danila's down-to-earth philosophy and sense of justice makes you feel not quite so bad about the way things are going, and there are a number of moments in the film which really make you laugh too. The characters could have quite easily become stereotypical and wooden, but the director really knows what he is doing: the characterisation is so real I often got the impression that I had met some of these people before. Belkin the banker is one of those characters: his conversation with a business partner where he is quite clearly nervous about the situation he has brought about is on the surface ever so polite, yet somehow you know that if you were dealing with him you just wouldn't trust him! There is a lot I could say about this film, but you should really see it for yourself - it is a superb night in! A bonus point for those of you learning Russian: with the DVD you can turn the subtitles on or off.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Russian Pop, Vodka, Guns and Bald Ladies of the Street!
This is the next part of the excellent `Brother' - yeah not an imaginative title I know, but give em a break. Read more
Published 17 months ago by Tommy D
5.0 out of 5 stars
A good deal more action that the first one
Wow, a good difference from the first "Brother" movie. The main character Daniel this time ends up in the US and come across a host of different characters that he interacts with... Read more
Published 21 months ago by Samuel
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