Eastern Promises

Mortensen reunites with Cronenberg for another round of uber-violence and sharp suits that, like their previous collaboration A History of Violence, never disappoints. London midwife Anna (Watts) is looking for someone to translate the diary of a Russian girl who died during childbirth on her watch. Seeking help from a seemingly-kindly restaurateur (Mueller-Stahl), Anna finds herself sucked into the world of organised Russian crime. With the diary containing dangerous secrets about the local mob, her life and her family's well-being are soon put in jeopardy with tattooed gangster Nikolai (Mortensen) and the intimidating and unstable Kirill (Vincent Cassell) on her tail. With outstanding pacing and editing, violence has never looked so breathtakingly beautiful – or been so chilling. Cronenberg has delivered not just a film with stunning visuals and an excellent cast but one of his finest to date. A gripping thriller whose pace never slackens, this one fulfills all its promise. [Kevin McHugh]