First of all, it is worth saying that the controversy around the film boiled for good reason, it is really heavy, political, shows Russian life from the side from which many do not want to see it. In fact, that is why he has so many opponents – people want a holiday, rest, vanilla patriotism, love stories. Here you go, blow! Eat the truth. Yes, there is a lot of evil in the film, a lot of booze, mat, lawlessness, but all this is in it not because the film is bad, but because the people are bad, here in Russia. “The mirror has nothing to blame, if the face of the curve” (N.V. Gogol) Speaking of Gogol. Do you know why he burned the second volume of Dead Souls several times and started again? Because he wanted to show in the first book all the bad things that are in Russia, and in the second – all the good, and that the second he failed because of the lack of real material in life. With Leviathan, too, it could be a kinder film if Russia could be kinder.
Some say that the film is made to weaken popular unity in times of turmoil and default, when Russia is looming treacherous enemy and the world is threatened by war. There is always an adversary, there is always default, there is a threat, there is America. And the task of creative people is to continue to move art truthfully and with fire, regardless of all this. Speaking of America, there are also films “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest”, “Natural Born Killers”, “Pulp Fiction”, “Requiem for a Dream”, “American Beauty”, “American History X” and they also show the dungeons of their country: madness, cruelty, crime, drug addiction, debauchery. So nothing special happened to our Leviathan.
In my opinion, the film is perfect, and if it did not cause puppy joy, salivation and a strong riser, it does not mean that it is bad. Its author is an honest witness of his time, a true creator. Unfortunately, at the end of the film, evil prevails, and the desire for justice is not satisfied. Well, gentlemen, this is done on purpose! So that this unquenchable thirst will remain in you and that you yourself will go to carry this justice into the world, with fire in your heart. This is the greatest magic that the author is capable of.
But I agree with some of the criticisms. The film even has dark landscapes. Author, what's nature for? Is it possible to love her? The fact that the film is made for export is also alarming. For export, it is necessary to make such films so that the Pindos there know us and fear us, criticism must remain an internal matter. And it is also a shame for the actor Roman Madianov – he plays evil oligarchs, evil majors, colonels, evil cops in all the films, which is why the collective hatred of the whole country is fixed on him, unfortunately, he is an actor of one role.
