GetPapa
Far from Perfect, Far from Terrible
Dorathen
Better Late Then Never
Bergorks
If you like to be scared, if you like to laugh, and if you like to learn a thing or two at the movies, this absolutely cannot be missed.
filippaberry84
I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.
Tgrain
Sequels are always a dilemma for directors, it's very easy to miss and Buslov gets a lot of credit for moving straight into a sequel as his next feature project.Instead of returning to the same old story twice, Buslov wisely chose to make the story about redemption and effectively introduced a new lead in the form of Dasha, a girl that seems fated to repeat the footsteps of Kostya's gang and played masterfully by Svetlana Ustinova. The story is sufficiently realistic, though he takes a few more chances than with the original there are no holes or dilemmas that would irritate. Casting is very high caliber and the music doesn't fail to deliver again. Cinematographically Buslov evolved to a slightly faster paced style, there is less moving camera than with the original Boomer (something I personally enjoyed), but close ups are very effectively utilized. On the other end, one or two sequences are overextended time wise, but not to the point of irritation. Note: unlike with the Brother films of Balabanov, it does help to see Boomer 1 prior to watching this film.
Some One
While Bumer 1 was a trivial gangster movie with not much substance, Bumer 2 (or Heaven on Earth) is a mark of a genius. It is very subtle and to an unsuspecting viewer it may seem not much. There is a plot but not much action: no flying bullets, no blood and no revenge.Nevertheless, today I watched it for the third time and it was even better then the first two. Do you have to be familiar with the Russian culture to understand it? Not really. If you ever felt like the system's got you or if you felt like there is no way out - you'd get it, I promise.One of my favorite movies so far.
find_666
Someone said that the main idea behind the movie is corruption of cops etc... i disagree n think Stupidity is.These 4 guys as many other at that time thought that they are above the law n they survive by pointing guns on other ppl(as Dimon in 2nd movie said: "We do not run with guns n just rob for cash anymore."). The end of 1st movie is tragic, but i think the idea is that ppl like them eventually die. N this life is not colorful but just wasted (Kot said: "U don't want a car like that). I don't understand y most ppl have sympathy for this guys, they are exactly the same as the ones who took Dimon's white Mercedes, they robed PC store, they killed cops, who were not bad and died protecting civilians. The second movie has similar idea, but i don't understand many of it. 1) Why did they kill the real brother of Dasha (Offcource to let Kot go n kill him outside the prison so no suspicion... but wouldn't it just be easier to "just" kill Kot like they killed Dashas brother and let the brother live (offcource than the movie would be 20 min long, but still its pretty stupid decision by the prison authority)2) Who the hell would want to kill Kot? It obviously was some fat "businessman", but what was the motives? He was involved in killing of FSB agent but it seemed like no1 knew about it... or maybe its cos of that situation on a petrol station? I thought it was Dimon, but than he died protecting him so that was really great start of the movie. Buslov was thinking a lot on that i guess. As far as i can see no1 had serious reason to kill Kot.3) Kot wanted to start over but wouldn't it be easier to sell his half of car show room than let the girl rob tourist agency? He knew she was desperate at that stage of her life... he could predict she would do smthn stupid... 4) When he met her, why didn't he just tell her the truth straight away? Or he could just give her a letter n say that her bro is dead n then leave...I liked both movies, but i hope that there wont be the 3rd movie, cos i think Buslov will lose it... and the story is pretty much over.P.S. 4 some reason i think i missed some parts in the movie... Mine was 1h 50 min long. I downloaded from net so i think it might be not full so i miss out on some things (lol living in New Zealand i gotta wait till some1 brings DVD, maybe in couple weeks at the most) ps yall
gnatko
I think that is the main idea of both Bumer movies.Cops and KGB are the ultimate evil. Both movies send a message that one can not be a free and honest man/woman in Russia, without having any problems with cops. Well, of course, in the first movie, the four guys were just a regular extortionist gang
apparently, not very close to the concepts of "honesty" and "freedom", but the movie still sent a message that they were "good guys". Rama said a counter-argument: "Such are not us, such is the life around us." (1st movie)."The life has changed" (Dimon, 2nd movie). Dimon's life has changed because he chose not to mess with cops, but rather to deal with them by their rules. That's what most of us in this country actually do every day. We don't know about laws and *beep* like that: we only know that cops are people who really love cash and are endowed with power to do anything. No law is need if you're a friend of cops, and no law will protect you if you're not.Having earned money, he saves his friend from the jail by bribing the cops. Dimon's new life is controversial. "I don't know what I would do in a situation like that" Cot said. After an accusation like that, Dimon thought that probably he was not completely right, although by doing what he did, he saved his own life and later a few years in the life of his friend (Cot had a 15-year sentence for armed robbery)
He realized that he had to sacrifice a large part of his honesty to this. Saving Cot's life a few minutes later, he probably restored his honesty, at least in the eyes of Cot.Dashka is a also a controversial character. Although she's a little bitch blackmailer, her victim is a large piece of that cop and KGB *beep* (some cop chief). So, eventually, she's depicted as a warrior of truth. I won't tell you how Dashka is related to Cot (watch the movie, it's the drama and love story part of it), I'll just tell you that the two finally decided that their free souls will not be able to survive in this country, and they decided to leave it. Dashka: "And who's gonna stay here?" Cot: "-- The cops!" They wanted to escape. But the cops got them. At least they killed Cot. Dashka escaped. Cot has joined his fellows in the gangstas' paradise. Dashka went to a paradise on earth (she stole some cash and went out of the country).Again, what's left here
The cops. It's a message to all those who live in this country. To think about it. From that point of view, the movie indeed is naturalistic. A story like that could hardly happen in reality, but the message it sends is a real one. We're not a free country. That's very important to understand.