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Leviathan
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Leviathan

Leviathan

2014
Drama
2h 20m
On the outskirts of a small coastal town in the Barents Sea, where whales sometimes come to its bay, lives an ordinary family: Nikolai, his wife Lilya and their teenage son Romka. The family is haunted by a local corrupted mayor , who is trying to take away the land, a house and a small auto repair shop from Nikolai. To save their homes Nikolai calls his old Army friend in Moscow, who has now become an authoritative attorney. Together they decide to fight back and collect dirt on the mayor. (imdb)

Directed by:

Andrey Zvyagintsev

Screenwriter:

Andrey Zvyagintsev, Oleg Negin

Starring:

Aleksey Serebryakov, Yelena Lyadova, Vladimir Vdovichenkov, Roman Madyanov, Sergey Pokhodaev

Genre:

Drama

AKA:

Leviafan

Country:

Russia

Language:

Russian
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Leviathan

2014
Drama
2h 20m
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Ratings & Reviews Cast Collections Similar Stats Trailer
Avg Percentile 67.77% from 1389 total ratings
Ratings & Reviews Cast Collections Similar Stats Trailer

Ratings & Reviews

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jakeaestheteJakeAesthete
Rated 11 Jul 2015
36
32nd
Oh lighten up, for fucks sake.
Rated 11 Jul 2015
coinquatroCoinQuatro
Rated 01 May 2015
75
83rd
What is taciturn, solemn-looking and suicidal? A female lead in a Zvyagintsev movie.
Rated 01 May 2015
paxtonPaxton
Rated 19 Mar 2015
50
21st
Miraculously funded by Mother Russia herself, a searing indictment of practices of late and of old is meticulously laid at the viewer's feet through a story that I eventually didn't care about. Honestly, no one is likable, everything goes wrong for almost everybody, and each time I laughed I realized it was at the expense of future struggles the characters would endure. Pretty much the opposite of entertainment (which I admit wasn't its intent) and I've watched reruns of Mr. Belvedere.
Rated 19 Mar 2015
obtiosovobtiosov
Rated 28 Jan 2015
90
89th
I don't know how Zvyagintsev can outperform "The Return" on my scale, I guess this is as close as it can be. The tone of political criticism and family/human aspect is balanced in a great manner. This film didn't strike me as full of symbols compared to his other films, because they are very much outfront, you don't need to make an effort to see that they are there. I immediately feel that this will grow in me; I will appreciate it more in a second viewing or in time, but we'll see.
Rated 28 Jan 2015
staryarabbistaryarabbi
Rated 14 Oct 2014
80
79th
it requires a longer film to depict such a romanesque film, that's why you end up with a feeling of incompleteness, and i wish the director could use longer shots instead of cutting the scenes according to a logic which seems to be contingent but nevertheless despite some obscurities in the screenplay this is hell of a great political epic with grandiose shots which look like the work of a master.
Rated 14 Oct 2014
deaddillydeaddilly
Rated 04 Jan 2021
90
94th
On injustice and the absurd. A punishing 3 act condemnation of State power culminating in about as hopeless a note a film has ever ended on. "Can you pull Leviathan with a fish hook?"
Rated 04 Jan 2021
bolivarbolivar
Rated 24 Dec 2020
75
75th
very well-made film that didn't make me feel or think anything in particular.
Rated 24 Dec 2020
actionbergActionberg
Rated 24 Feb 2018
75
59th
Its context is a lot more compelling than the viewing experience itself, but it's genuinely significant that a Russian movie in 2014 would so brazenly decry the dysfunctional and tyrannical structure of its own society. So that's cool.
Rated 24 Feb 2018
amerigoamerigo
Rated 23 Apr 2016
79
61st
While conceptually, the film is a well-orchestrated piece of art, showcasing the zeitgeist of modern day Russia to wonderful effect. The confluence of a Kafkaesque bureaucracy and unquestioning religious traditionalism was beautifully expressed. But frankly there was no pathos--it was a dull grueling march--and the dead-faced performances left no room for empathy. The end product is a dismal modernist yarn that art critics will gush over, but actually isn't really a good film.
Rated 23 Apr 2016
thehynesthehynes
Rated 30 Aug 2015
55
44th
An extremely grey & depressing film that in the end doesnt take us anywhere satisfying.Amazingly daring swipe at the system.Whoever at the Cultural Ministry gave the nod to fund this film is probably in a Siberian penal facility by now.
Rated 30 Aug 2015
fra_paolofra paolo
Rated 21 Jun 2015
69
77th
Bleak setting, bleak message, bleak film. Perhaps it is wishful thinking to trust in a loving God, but is it just as much wishful thinking to find no hope anywhere?
Rated 21 Jun 2015
ecitizeneCitizen
Rated 02 May 2015
30
17th
Poor marks for telling us only half the story. I felt cheated by the writers and the director. Disrespected because they hid important scenes from us, which make it unsatisfying. The pacing is slow, sometimes plodding and the camera sometimes got stuck in one place too long. It ends in a long pathetic religious rant, and the overall message is sad, stupid and depressing.
Rated 02 May 2015
gmueschGmuesch
Rated 31 Mar 2015
80
81st
Cold to the last breath. A painfull swallow of Vodka.
Rated 31 Mar 2015
moraesfelipemoraesfelipe
Rated 25 Mar 2015
40
13th
This is simply like Ceylan trying to make an artsy product to win the Oscar.
Rated 25 Mar 2015
bofbof
Rated 20 Mar 2015
88
95th
Imagine a disillusioned Malick adapting the Book of Job in a small frontier town while Vladimir Putin frowns disapprovingly. "Where were you," the fat people in power slur, "when I laid claim to the Earth's foundation?"
Rated 20 Mar 2015
okayfrogokayfrog
Rated 05 Feb 2015
70
77th
Mature, emotionally draining, and biblical in scale, yet at the same time pessimistic and nihilistic to the point of, well, pointlessness.
Rated 05 Feb 2015
guvolefouguvolefou
Rated 29 Jan 2015
74
49th
2000 sonrası sinemanın başına gelen en güzel şeylerden biri olan Zvyagintsev, sinemasının boyutunu büyütürken kontrolü elinden kaçırmış gibi biraz. Kurduğu alegori güzel ama biraz kaba, senaryosu temelde güzel ama fazla şişkince.
Rated 29 Jan 2015
dougiedDougieD
Rated 12 Sep 2014
90
81st
A bleak portrayal of Russia's problems with corruption in church and state as told through a modern-day retelling of the story of Job. It's a slow burning and depressing tale told exquisitely through great acting, writing and direction.
Rated 12 Sep 2014
storm57storm57
Rated 09 Sep 2024
72
7th
Pointless and relentlessly depressing.
Rated 09 Sep 2024
radumsmnradumsmn
Rated 12 Jul 2023
83
94th
It's just like one of those accidents that you see in real time and there's nothing you can do but stare at it and be part of it as a bystander.
Rated 12 Jul 2023
feublofeublo
Rated 15 Jan 2021
85
74th
Injustice continues to leave it's remains for the naked eye to see. Whether ignored or not, it will keep existing on the land it is fostered on. A larger societal change is hinted at, but very much unaccomplished. Brutal, relevant, and a poetic gloom that overcasts the coastal town's reality.
Rated 15 Jan 2021
levinelevine
Rated 28 Nov 2020
70
79th
Some situations are so miserable or absurd to veer into dark humour, but overall it is very, very bleak. Lots of symbolism of which I guess I didn't "get it" all because of cultural differences. This is really well made, great acting, great photography, but it's a demanding watch for me.
Rated 28 Nov 2020
mike365365mike365365
Rated 31 Mar 2020
74
82nd
Last act disappoints, but a decent film.
Rated 31 Mar 2020
moncliviemonclivie
Rated 31 Dec 2019
84
86th
Could be better as a first act of a revenge story.
Rated 31 Dec 2019
fenixdownfenixdown
Rated 21 Dec 2019
72
43rd
I can see why Russians drink so much.
Rated 21 Dec 2019
ahmetgalipahmetgalip
Rated 10 Nov 2019
95
13th
Anlatım şekli biraz NBC’ye benziyor. Bu yüzden diğer filmlerini de izleme isteği uyandırıyor.
Rated 10 Nov 2019
sinemysinemy
Rated 30 Jan 2019
88
90th
Maybe it's someone inside, not external forces trying to destroy the house. Leviathan does not fully represent the state, on the other hand it represents both the woman and the discipline and it is thought that this discipline will be provided by violence. When he learns that his wife is cheating on him, he will solve this by force, his violent opposition to the rough rhetoric of Rome, the fact that statesmen think that they can apply discipline with severe punishment.
Rated 30 Jan 2019
karatoprakkaratoprak
Rated 24 Dec 2018
70
33rd
ok, months passed and i remembered that i didnt rate this film. i try to remember the crucial scenes once and couldnt manage it at all. what does it show about a film? i recall a good scene where people were drunk and it was good but now i say: hmm yes another corruption-themed film from russia. forgetting with no emotional traces behind is forgetting something mediocre.
Rated 24 Dec 2018
nackermanNackerman
Rated 14 Oct 2018
85
90th
A great film, but demanding on the viewer.
Rated 14 Oct 2018
gokseltuzungokseltuzun
Rated 28 Apr 2018
86
65th
uff
Rated 28 Apr 2018
djrossdjross
Rated 16 Mar 2018
72
82nd
A scathing portrait of the pitfalls of life in a mafia state, this also turned out to be quite a bit funnier than this viewer was expecting, thanks to well-written characters and good performances. Decisions about what information to provide to the audience and what to leave out make the Kafkaesque point: you may never know. Perhaps the final scenes lack a little subtlety, but I guess so too does the mafia. Looks very good, with some memorable sequences. First time out with this director.
Rated 16 Mar 2018
bhajansunlobhajansunlo
Rated 04 Mar 2018
53
27th
Maybe I have been numbed too much by the dysfunctional bureaucracy at home that straight up sobfest naturalism with righteous pseudo-anger railing against a corrupt system doesn't really cut it for me anymore.
Rated 04 Mar 2018
skapskap
Rated 30 Dec 2017
65
31st
The sad truth is that this film would not hold a candle to any really good (i'm not talking about excellent) soviet or post-soviet Russian film. It's a sure disappointment to anybody who really knows and appreciates the Russian cinema. It's the Zvyagintsev's direction that really sucks, and his way to tell the story using one single tone, no nuances at all. The observations about the modern Russian society are quite truthful or at least seem to be such, though.
Rated 30 Dec 2017
ottott
Rated 21 Jun 2017
70
57th
Very good. I really like the whale-hobbes-symbolism and don't think it is too underlining.
Rated 21 Jun 2017
chengmingchengming
Rated 19 May 2017
80
87th
Flawlessly executed drama that uses its stark setting to great effect.
Rated 19 May 2017
wwallce4prezWWallce4prez
Rated 15 Apr 2017
86
89th
With stark landscapes, harsh men, loads of vodka, and utter misery, Leviathan makes sure you know a few reasons why Northern Russia should not be your next destination. All that being said, the film is pretty spectacular. The cast is superb with their depiction of a true tragedy.
Rated 15 Apr 2017
ddrudgesd_drudges
Rated 27 Mar 2017
70
81st
An admirably crafted story about displaced people trying to withstand a corrupt modern society that has developed a life of its own. No matter what the stories or those that would believe them say, it has no interest in rewarding the meek. The movie is a bit too on-the-nose at times, especially when it comes to the fat cat caricature of a mayor.
Rated 27 Mar 2017
mkellinsmkellins
Rated 26 Mar 2017
65
65th
The film is a quite literal re-telling of the story of Job. Although, in the end, in stead of getting everything back in twofold, Nikolai ends up defeated. His futile struggle against the corrupt society is compared with trying to capture and kill the Leviathan. It's a bleak story, but not totally without humour. Acting is good and the cinematography beautiful.
Rated 26 Mar 2017
drrobertdr_Robert
Rated 26 Feb 2017
3
41st
En ryss säger till en annan: "Skål". Den andre svarar "Skall vi supa eller snacka?".De skulle alltså kunna samtala lite mer de där ryssarna, då skulle de kanske inte vara så tungsinta.Detta är den fjärde filmen av Zvjagintsev jag ser och tyvärr. Efter Återkomsten har de bara blivit sämre. Fotot är dock fantastiskt och det räddar betyget från att bli ändå lägre.
Rated 26 Feb 2017
kmilchev1Kmilchev1
Rated 02 Feb 2017
80
82nd
A trully great film which will stand the test of time by exeplifying the current 20th century situation in Putin's Russia where the church has immense power and governs over the corrupt politicians looking to satisfy their own agenda. The camera work is entertaining, on spot and does a brilliant job desplaying the despositions of the main characters. Closely intertwined with the "Leviathan" by Tomas Hobbes, this film exemplifies what happens when we go agains the devine right to rule.
Rated 02 Feb 2017
icarusIcarus
Rated 18 May 2016
84
75th
Looks great, as I've come to expect from Zvyagintsev, even if I found the writing in the last act a bit too on the nose. That said, the final sermon is wonderfully ironic. The film never overplays its scenario, wisely keeping everything at a slow boil, that certainly has some emotional payoff particularly around Lilya's circumstances. The film also seems to move quite closely to black comedy at times, nicely adding a liveliness I'm not used to seeing in Zvyagintsev's work.
Rated 18 May 2016
neonmanNeonman
Rated 19 Apr 2016
67
29th
Starts off for quite a while favouring very dry humour over anything else (see: the OTT drunk antagonist). Middle section of the film is where the film is at its best, showing the number of character interactions that are made even more troubling and dramatic by their drunkenness. But by the end, I felt like the depression coming from this film was simply engineered.
Rated 19 Apr 2016
cinegeekdecinegeek.de
Rated 12 Mar 2016
93
94th
Obwohl das russische Drama Leviathan in einem kleinen Ort spielt mit nur einer Handvoll Charakteren, verkörpert es "grandeur" - den expansiven Charakter der Parabel! Leviathan eröffnet mit grandiosen Bildern der russischen See im Norden, dort wo Felsgestalten ins graue Wasser münden... die ganze Rezension sowie die wundervollsten Film des neuen russischen Kinos auf cinegeek.de Willkommen!
Rated 12 Mar 2016
francogonzoFrancoGonzo
Rated 18 Feb 2016
8
36th
Star Rating: ★★1/2
Rated 18 Feb 2016
ryan_luedersRyan Lueders
Rated 14 Sep 2015
12
2nd
The title may be leviathan but the plot was as big as a minnow. This movie was another boring foreign film along the same lines as Once Upon a Time in Anatolia. Many long series of nature shots that are gorgeous and long bouts of silence. No dialogue or music, just still shots of nature. Also like Blue is the Warmest Color where they just ate all the time, these Russians just sat around drinking vodka. I think in the 2 hours and 20 minutes of film I watched about 7 or 8 bottles get finished...
Rated 14 Sep 2015
nonselfnonself
Rated 10 Aug 2015
78
67th
Kepçe Yıkımın iç mekandan gösterilmesi Metaforların sağlam bir teknikle sunulması Köpekbalığı İntihar Çöküntü Kaybediş Rusya idari teşkilatının nüfuz zaviyesinden şiddetle eleştirilmesi
Rated 10 Aug 2015
damildamil
Rated 02 Aug 2015
75
81st
It really captures the bleak and hopeless nature of isolated places and the people who live there. The actors give great, raw performances. The direction is brilliant, and is complimented by magnificent cinematography. I liked what it had to say about humanity, religion and faith. It's a beautifully nihilistic film, and I dug it.
Rated 02 Aug 2015
ceruleanblueceruleanblue
Rated 08 Jul 2015
7
16th
Well, that was dark. Hard to watch a show in which you don't have a paltry chance in getting attached to a single character. Had to watch a comedy after.
Rated 08 Jul 2015
biancazzurribiancazzurri
Rated 02 Jul 2015
70
29th
Typical russian movie syndrome: no peak in the plot, many things are just by the way without any meaning for the main idea. Nice movie - nice place, no more.
Rated 02 Jul 2015
ratedarghratedargh
Rated 22 Jun 2015
70
44th
At times it hits on a nuanced level of everyday misery that is both poetic and beautiful in its sadness. Other times, it seems contrived and layered with cruelty for the sheer sake of pushing our characters through more pain. I guess that's where connection to Job comes in, but it's just a bit heavy handed.
Rated 22 Jun 2015
chemical404chemical404
Rated 08 Jun 2015
84
97th
Amazing social psychodrama made in the spirit of the great russian novels. Much better and much easier to sit through than I expected. Nothing less than a full analysis gives this film any justice. A very strong candidate for the best movie of 2014.
Rated 08 Jun 2015
armilioArmilio
Rated 12 Apr 2015
78
85th
The "leviathan" is the Hobbes's Leviathan, of course. That become "God", sometimes. A pessimistic view on life and on that kind of Russia far away from the centre of power, Moscow; where people live like little fish afore a whale.
Rated 12 Apr 2015
ephedrinephedrin
Rated 16 Mar 2015
75
81st
Above the average.
Rated 16 Mar 2015
thedicemanTheDiceman
Rated 04 Mar 2015
75
89th
Excellent.
Rated 04 Mar 2015
xacviantxacviant
Rated 28 Feb 2015
75
37th
In a small town in rural Russia, Kolya (Aleksei Serebryakov) is at odds with the corrupt mayor (Roman Madyanov), who wants his property; his lawyer (Vladimir Vdovichenkov) tries to blackmail the mayor with evidence of his crimes, but the system is not so easily defeated. Though much-lauded, its depiction of institutional corruption will surprise few, and the characters and story are hardly enough to sustain its 140-minute running time. It's consistently well-done, but it's hard to be impressed.
Rated 28 Feb 2015
elmakebabielmakebabi
Rated 25 Feb 2015
55
30th
Disappointment.
Rated 25 Feb 2015
ofterdingenOfterdingen
Rated 23 Feb 2015
74
85th
The massive use of symbols gets too much and it even starts to explain things that were better left unsaid. Still very engaging.
Rated 23 Feb 2015
twisptwisp
Rated 22 Feb 2015
84
81st
Raw Pictures at an Exhibition - misery, pain, injustice, despair and few acts of kindness (forgiving, adoption) for which the protagonists do not have any explanation.
Rated 22 Feb 2015
johnsandwichJohnSandwich
Rated 10 Feb 2015
75
74th
Packed quite a punch by the end
Rated 10 Feb 2015
mandymandy
Rated 09 Feb 2015
7
73rd
Beautifully shot and a compelling story but it creates such a feeling of helplessness and despair that it is hard to enjoy.
Rated 09 Feb 2015
moribunnyMoribunny
Rated 07 Feb 2015
78
88th
Very well made and very depressing.
Rated 07 Feb 2015
redactedredacted
Rated 02 Feb 2015
76
60th
I didn't buy some of the actions of the characters, they seemed either oddly timed choices or for plot convenience. Either way, this is a cynical depiction of modern Russia, with vodka & corruption at the forefront, as expected. Some brilliant photography of the bleak/ raw Russian landscapes to soak up. Telling choice in title.
Rated 02 Feb 2015
graveyardtangraveyardtan
Rated 01 Feb 2015
85
71st
Leviathan reminds me of a lot of other films, not least of all 2014 other foreign heavy, Winter Sleep, but where this film shines is its ability evoke such a rich history of desperation, political, sexual, existential, and as unchanging as God. Here the past is a monstrous thing, forever looming underneath the surface of pedestrian life, threatening to swallow us all.
Rated 01 Feb 2015
kercKerc
Rated 24 Jan 2015
17
16th
Soul-crushingly Russian. Surprised Zvyagintsev is still living and breathing, Putin should have put a hit out on him by now. Could've trimmed about 40 minutes, but you're gonna put me on your side when you explicitly allude to the opening and closing shots of Kozintsev's Gamlet.
Rated 24 Jan 2015
kavuKavu
Rated 23 Jan 2015
80
69th
Deliciously pessimistic with beautiful visuals and quite capable acting. I would've liked some more coherence in the story.
Rated 23 Jan 2015
charlieCharlie
Rated 20 Jan 2015
85
91st
"Once upon a time in Russia..." #3500
Rated 20 Jan 2015
patmanpatman
Rated 20 Jan 2015
29
1st
Let's just say this was very difficult for me to appreciate. I'm sorry.
Rated 20 Jan 2015
cowfrappecowfrappe
Rated 19 Jan 2015
68
53rd
Great cinematography and acting in a very slow film.
Rated 19 Jan 2015
dresd_r_e_s_
Rated 14 Jan 2015
3
65th
Unfortunately not a movie I can fully appreciate. The first act and the great performances gives me a feeling that something really good is about to unfold, but second act starts to deviate from what I thought this movie was going to be centered around. Third act is quite simply, a bit boring. On the other hand, I am able to appreciate the fact that it doesn't take the "simple" solution and make it out be some sort of courtroom drama or in the likes thereof. - Good
Rated 14 Jan 2015
schnofelschnofel
Rated 12 Jan 2015
36
21st
Zvyagintsev has an eye for grand composition as well as a portentous sense of nature that he carried with him ever since The Return, that deep, elemental portrait of the Russian soul. He tries again here, but the only thing I responded to were allusions to the eponymous monster. Everything else are endless long faces and litigation.
Rated 12 Jan 2015
thujathuja
Rated 10 Dec 2014
92
91st
tekrar ve tekrar.
Rated 10 Dec 2014
vdecraimVdecraim
Rated 03 Dec 2014
80
73rd
After only having seen 'The Banishment', Leviathan feels like a thrilling leap forward for a noteworthy director. Zvyagintsev excels at creating visceral experiences through his fantastic control over the camera. A feat that can only derive from a deeply rooted love towards the medium. Substantially, the film perfectly fits in his oeuvre of dramas concerning family situations. But this time around, the political undertone provides a welcome new direction. Looking forward to seeing more from him.
Rated 03 Dec 2014
hofschneiderHofschneider
Rated 02 Dec 2014
74
42nd
That little sigh in the audience (press) ... when its finally over.
Rated 02 Dec 2014
fredericg54frederic_g54
Rated 28 Oct 2014
9
90th
Finally, a film by Zvyagintsev I can get fully on board with. Bringing his trademark visual splendor to bear, the Russian director pairs nuanced characterization with careful plotting against a backdrop of marital infidelity and dispiriting corruption. And he does so without lulling us into a state of comatose boredom.
Rated 28 Oct 2014
cowmanCowman
Rated 17 Oct 2014
85
96th
Starts of relatively funny, only to make the road to despair even more intense.
Rated 17 Oct 2014

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