Temnyy mir

This might be a bit messy, as another reviewer already wrote, but as he also noted it is very entertaining indeed. You have your typical bunch of young people assembled and ready to go on a trip (though it has an educational purpose to put a spin on it). They're all good looking and you might feel a bit cheated by that, but the movie is a fun ride, if you won't think about things like that.

There are some nice effects, a little nudity and blood. You can check those of the list then. But there is also a weird sense of humor running through the whole movie, which might make it less accessible to some people or really fun to watch for others. I obviously belong to the latter bunch of people. The story also goes places you might not expect it to go and it is crazy from start to finish ... intrigued or appalled? Your decision

The set up of the movie is pretty standard: a group of philology students and their professor set out on an expedition to the north-west of Russia to collect ocult traditions and folklore, during which one of them, Marina, runs of after an insident with her ex and stumbles on a witches tomb. Despite the cliches the movie manages to be interesting so far because the students are from the very best russian university (so not as damb as classic Hollywood murder-in-the-woods kind of characters), their professor is a kind and experienced educator (who is empathetic and even funny from time to time), the main character Marina struggles with relationship issues and disallusionment. Moreover, there are glimpses of unsanitised daily life in Russia, as well as, tons of norse mythology (think runes, witches, swords and vikings). These entertaining details do not redeem but definetely smooth over some questionable camera work and director's quirks.

After Marina finds the mummified witch, for the characters everything goes south. For the viewers, however, the fun begins. The movie has plenty of unexpected twists, enough action and mysticism, some moral dilemas and most importantly a sense of humor. At times the whole thing intentionally gets rather ridiculous, but not too overloaded with seriousness, it laughs at itself along with the viewers instead of becoming a gimmick.

Towards the end the movie does become a bit tiresome as the struggle between good and evil drags on and on but it is abruptly resolve by a twist that shutters some annoying stereotypes regularly used in Hollywood movies, which really pleased me.

Overall, the movie definetely has its faults: not all secondary characters are well-played, some scenes are directed painfully awkward, a small budget reflects badly on the fight scenes. But make no mistake, it is worth watching. It's engaging, great at satiating your curiosity about norse witches and provides some food for thought when it comes to some of the choices Marina, the main character makes.I enjoyed it and so will you if you don't start nitpicking.

Since the first reviewer already wrote the whole thing about the "The Dark World" I will direct my opinion on "Marina" our heroine, who is an outcast, but destined to fight the evil forces. Yes, the movie resemblance much of what we have seen before, even "Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon", but this is a movie that appeals to young and older audiences, because Marina is intriguing, vulnerable and strong at the same time, going against the condescending attitude of everyone else including her teacher who sees her as a girl with a head full of chaos, but that is what made her so appealing. Marina is out of place because of her beliefs; and at the very same time she gets depressed for this reason, because deep down she would like to be the normal girl, pretty as others, cool and magnetic. What I am trying to describe is a character that is multidimensional on screen, contrary to the flatness of "Bella" Swan, AKA Kristen Stewart on those movies and books I didn't like. This Russian movie works in a proper level, where we have the witches and the "warlock" without the so much distracting weird love story. Still we find the romantic element and the crush that at one point of another so many of us have experience in life. The visuals and acting are very acceptable, and even though in the last twenty minutes the movie show some of its flaws it made me feel that I didn't waste two hours and twenty minutes of my life. The only complain I have is that DARK WORLD: EQUILIBRIUM (2013) will introduce us to a whole new set of characters. So my questions are: Alexander will be back to get his butt kicked again by the witches? There will be more witches? One way of another I liked "The Dark World" because it doesn't carry the usual propaganda or agenda, is just the regular fight between good and evil, just let yourself immerse into this movie and have fun!

In Russia, the mystic student of linguistic Marina Leonova (Svetlana Ivanova) is in love with her boyfriend Artur (Ilya Alekseyev); however he blows her off and dates their schoolmate Vika (Mariya Kozhevnikova). When their class travels to the countryside with their Professor Sergey Rudolfovich (Vladimir Nosik) to research mystic spots, they meet a weird old lady in the forest and she invites them to have a meal with her. The outcast Marina stays by the lake and Artur seeks her to have sex. However they are surprised by their friends and the ashamed Marina runs to the forest. Kostya (Ivan Zhidkov), who has a crush on Marina, follows her and they get lost in the woods.

Marina and Kostya reach an abandoned house and Marina decides to explore the spot. She finds the mummified corpse of a witch holding a shield and she is possessed by a force and faints. Sergey and his students find her and he call a rescue team to help the Marina. However, a violent elite squad in a helicopter arrives instead and sooner the students discover that the Minister of Mining Aleksandr (Sergei Ugryumov) is the son of the powerful sorcerer Ylto Vallo that was murdered centuries ago by the Queen of the Witches. Aleksandr wants to retrieve the power of his father and needs the magic spell that will release his power from the shield. But Marina is also a witch and she will do anything to avoid the evil Aleksandr from getting the power.

"Temnyy Mir" is a messy, but also very entertaining film of witches. This is an unusual theme in Hollywood and this Russian film has a great beginning. Sooner the plot mixes witches, demons, helicopters, bow and arrows, powerful weapons and explosions in a complete mess. But the film is very entertaining and despite the flaws and the conclusion that recalls an Italian spaghetti, I liked it a lot. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "Feitiço Negro" ("Black Spell")