Statskiy sovetnik

Around the time that I watched Filipp Yankovsky's "Statskiy sovetnik" ("The State Counsellor" in English), I read Boris Akunin's "Altyn Tolobas", depicting Erast Fandorin's grandson. It's worth comparing and contrasting the stories, but the eras in which they take place. The stories featuring Erast Fandorin take place in czarist Russia, while the ones featuring Nicholas Fandorin (raised in England due to his mother having fled the 1917 revolution) take place after the Soviet Union broke up.

Anyway, in this movie we see Erast Fandorin trying to stop a revolutionary group from overthrowing the czar, but his dealings with Prince Pozharsky complicate things. Practically every character in the movie has something to hide. I wouldn't call it a masterpiece, but I like how they laid out the plot, and the casting was just right. Worth seeing.

The plot of this film is the murder of the adjutant General Khrapov. Someone posing as a state Councilor Fandorin is in the sleeping carriages on the train and commits murder, then begins a long but very exciting story. It is worth noting that this film is a screen adaptation of the novel by Boris Akunin, and this is from the movie some points have been removed, although very few of them.

What is so special about this film?

History. Here believe it or not, but having started to watch this movie, you will spend the next 2 hours completely forgetting about her case. Not for nothing is the filmmakers chose the slogan:

"The games are over. Now the real Fandorin in the present case"

The action takes place in the late 19th century, even on this young audience more clear. The "simple and clear" language of the narrative.

Acting. The cast of this film can be called a bouquet, if you want cream of the time.

Brilliant Menshikov fully felt in the role of Fandorin. Nikita Mikhalkov, who agreed to say "meow" in the movie and put a tear in a brilliant climax. Mashkov absolutely confidently played the role of Kozyr'. Of course, Khabenskiy, not afraid to take the hardest of the image of the Green and pass it at the highest level. Depressing that the image of the green revealed only in the uncut version.

In addition to these actors, the film scatter most known masters: Tabakov, Efremov, Spivak, Fandera, Bondarchuk, Gorbunov, Mironov and many others.

Larger scenes. Especially with pyrotechnics. The scene robberies chariot of the state Treasury, and the scene in Neskuchny garden will certainly remain in Your memory.

Music. Do not say, but the music, which was written by Enri Lolashvili beautiful rests on the history and has become a great component of this film. It's heavy, which transmits the gravity of the situation, but yet very beautiful.

The good news is that the film was a place for humor. It a bit, but he was very good.

In conclusion, I will say that for 10 years, this film is not in any doubt about the assessment.

10 out of 10

In total now there are three movies inspired by Akunin's novels and each of them gives us quite a different view on the main hero - Erast Petrovich Fandorin, both in appearance and in his manners. In "Statsky Sovetnik" we were promised a grown-up version of Fandorin, played by Oleg Menshikov - the honored "Kostik" of Russian cinematography...

Well, Menshikov as Fandorin was... a unique experience. I'm still not sure whether I liked him or not, but I wasn't half as horrified by his acting as some other people. In the film he looks much better than on the billboard (and whoever made that billboard deserves to be fired, for that thing is very very lame), has the posture many modern actors would die for if they were to play an officer and can be quite amusing at times. Of course, this Fandorin is also a snob, who raises his chin too high and doesn't look at the ground he is walking on, and has a strange habit of staring into space while others are talking to him :))) But seriously, he's not that bad, mainly for a reason his part here is not leading.

The leading part here is played by Mikhalkov, who (no matter what one can said about him as a person) actually is a great actor, with no wide range of parts admittedly. He's also one of the best Russian directors ("Urga", "Burnt by the Sun" etc.), and helped Yankovsky to make this movie (I wouldn't go as far as to call him the "de-facto" director, but his touch here is noticeable). And guess what? Mikhalkov is not just good as Pozharsky, he is great! "What a bastard!" - we can say about him with that kind of admiration in our voice, that is not possible to express in a written form. And then we can giggle. Because he IS funny.

The supporting actors are good too. Oksana Fandera as Igla is the best of all "Fandorin"'s ladies that graced us with their presence on the screen so far. She's so touching in her vulnerable toughness, one cannot help but admire her. Maria Mironova as Julie is not bad either - strangely innocent and weird, neither too smart nor extremely loyal - she is woman enough to drive men mad with her little quirks. Both of these women were good with their roles. Too bad, the same cannot be said about Emilia Spivak, who plays Fandorin's lover - yet another one "emancipe" female Esfir Litvinova. She's even worse than Varya of "Gambit" I swear. Varya at least could look good without baring her breasts. But there's not a lot of Esfir, so she's not enough to ruin the film.

Mashkov as Kozyr is as macho as ever and this actually works as an advantage. But I'm somewhat troubled by his striking resemblance to A. Banderas here. Certainly not his best part, but he's good. Quite good. Khabensky is also good as Green and I enjoyed his acting, but it would've been interesting if he and Gorbunov switched their roles. Gorbunov has just the right shade of cold and unforgivable Green in his eyes, although Akhmed played by him is nothing to complain about either. In his and Mikhalkov's part during the interrogation they seem to be in the same league as actors.

Whoever played Emelya and Snegir also did a good job. Tabakov disappointed me slightly as he seems not to have a good grasp on his character, like he is not completely sure what he is supposed to play here. Bondarchuk is also amusing, but hardly believable. Oh, and my personal favourite of supporting cast is the one who plays a double-agent who owns the place, where Erast meets Esfir for the first time. He dies too quickly, but for the time he is on the screen he is so wonderfully and pathetically neurotic, you (once again) cannot help but admire him. That of course is an IMHO.

Soundtrack is OK, I guess. The "action" theme I liked a lot, but educated people say Stravinsky made it a long time ago and wasn't even mentioned in the list. Now, for the final song... It is horrible. It is as horrible as everyone says it is. I was forewarned about its badness and thought people were overreacting about it. Well, they weren't. It is atrocious and doesn't have anything to do with the movie. As soon as Fandorin decides to work for the Great Prince and closes the door behind himself - rise from your seats and leave (or push on the "stop" button, if you're watching it at home). It's absolutely terrible.

In fact do it right after THE explosion (the second one, not the one at the Ice Palace). Because those few minutes of the film after that scene are almost as bad and vulgar as the song. Not only the ending of the book was changed - after all "I'm an artist, I see things in my own way", but it was so disgracefully changed as if it was done by some amateurs that did not know anything about what they were doing. But not as bad as the song, though. Nothing can surpass the song.

So, 8 out of 10, because it is a good movie that doesn't feel like it is too long. I look forward to seeing the TV-version of it, hopefully they'll get rid of the song. A DVD of it isn't a "must have" thing, but I believe would be a nice addition to one's collection. Once a licensed version comes out, I'll add it to mine.

Statski sovetnik is interesting at least because the entire elite of Russian cinema starred here. And the original source is not weak, everyone knows Boris Ankunin. The story itself is simple. Menshikov and Mikhalkov look great, but most of all to watch the still young Konstantin Khabensky. The last series of 4 is somewhat delayed. But even she looks better than the previous 2 films in the trilogy. I don't even understand how so many beautiful actors fit into 1 mini-series.

Befoure I watched the film I was a little disappointed by the reviews. Because such a great cast I expected everyone to sing psalms of the film.

Fortunatly the critics in my opinion were mostly wrong. Although Fandorin is shockingly cold the first time we see him, he becomes believable as the film progresses. Mashkov who played Kozyr' is simply amazing. His whole over the top-act, the slang is just so fun to watch. Khabenski does well, and Fandera, who plays Igla is wonderful, very believable. Emiliya Spivak is somewhat irritating, but is what she should have been according to the book. Though of course it is Nikita Mikhalkov who steals the show. A lot can be said about his intrigues at the Russian Film Guild, but he is without a doubt a great actor fit for specific roles. He is at his best when he plays a "Barin", as in "Bespridannica".

The action is quick, brutal and not flashy, even the sound of gunfire seems somewhat muffled. There isn't an awful lot of action since it is a Crime movie, not an action film. For some reason they didn't really pay attention to Masa, because he was far too young, and not round enough (according to the book he was "short and round like a barrel"). Green's character was somewhat downsized in the film too, with little background, like the facts that he was Jewish and his whole routine, so I felt that was missed out, because while Igla's motivation is present Green's is none existent. However unless you have read the book you wouldn't notice such nuances, and even if you have not you would not dwell on them.

The cinematography is very good, the way light and shadows are used makes some shots worthy of being posters, or photos.

So overall I would say that this movie was excellent despite some very minor imperfections.