Last night I watched Eastern Promises,starring Viggo Mortenson, Naomi Watts, Vincent Cassel and Sinead Cusak(but she was wasted in this part). It’s a movie about Russian Mafia and even more interestingly,their tattoos. David Cronenburg,the director, has been capable of great things in the past,i.e. the balletic choreography of the diner scene in A History of Violence where Viggo’s character defends himself from gangsters invading his small town. He is using Viggo again and again as a gangster who isn’t what he seems. Wait,that’s not quite right but if I explain it better I will give too much away.
In Eastern Promises(is that a clunky title or what) Viggo also has to fight off some thugs but this time he does it completely naked. For all of you who get steamed up thinking about Mr.Mortenson’s very well preserved almost 50 year old body,these scenes aren’t about beefcake so settle down. Men watching this scene will probably clench up as Viggo flies about nude with his dangly bits exposed in close proximity to knives.
