'Viktor'
(Gérard Depardieu, Elizabeth Hurley, Eli Danker, Denis Karasev, Marcello Mazzarella, et al / DVD / NR / 2015 / Inception Media Group)
Overview: After spending seven years in jail for an art heist, Frenchman Victor Lambert returns to Moscow to uncover the circumstances behind his son Jeremy's brutal murder. He is backed by his lover Alexandra, and by his ex-partner-in-crime, choreographer Souliman.
DVD Verdict: OK, from the off, any new movie that a) goes straight to DVD, b) features Elizabeth Hurley, c) has Gérard Depardieu playing a gun-toting art thief, and d) is filmed in Russia, is either going to be brilliant ... or a complete and utter mess!
So, which one is the best attribute for 'Viktor,' I hear you ask?! Well, "an unbelievably bad stinker" is the first statement that came to my mind, and I hadn't even gotten halfway through! That said, Hurley was the only actor in this mess that showed some acting chops; which was truly an added, unexpected bonus.
'Viktor' simply has no passion or pulse from anyone else. Wooden dialogue delivered in the same, uninspired, deadening way. In several, if not many of the scenes, Depardieu seemed to be reading lines from a teleprompter off to one side of whoever he was supposedly addressing. No elaboration of any back story.
And his mysterious friend from a past life, now living in Moscow who let's him drive his Mercedes in Moscow traffic? Come on. This was a ridiculous effort, probably partial payment of Gérard Depardieu in his effort to migrate from France for the tax haven of Russia! This is a Widescreen Presentation (2.35:1) enhanced for 16x9 TVs.
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