Archangel (2005) (TV)

User Rating:

6.3/10   

Director:

Jon Jones

Writers:

Robert Harris (novel)
Dick Clement (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

5 January 2006 (Estonia)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Mystery | Thriller

Plot:

A British college professor working in Russia investigates certain mysteries surrounding the life and death of Joseph Stalin.

Plot Keywords:

Russia | Murder | College Professor | Female To Male Foot In Crotch | One Word Title

Cast

Daniel Craig	...	Prof. Fluke Kelso
Yekaterina Rednikova	...	Zinaida Rapava
Gabriel Macht	...	R.J. O'Brian
Lev Prygunov	...	Vladimir Mamantov
Alexey Diakov	...	Suvorin
Harry Ditson	...	Frank Adelman
Tanya Moodie	...	Velma
Avtandil Makharadze	...	Josef Stalin
Anna Gerasimova	...	Anna
Claudia Harrison	...	Louise
Kaspars Zvigulis	...	Young Papu Rapava
Valery Chernyak	...	Old Papu Rapava
Aurelija Anuzhite	...	Olga
Ziedonis Lochmelis	...	Viktor
Jakov Rafalson	...	Moscow Official (as Yakov Rafalson)

Runtime:

Japan:133 min | 124 min (2 parts)

Country:

UK

Language:

English | Russian

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Singapore:NC-16 | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | UK:12

Filming Locations:

Moscow, Russia

Company:

BBC Drama Group

Trivia:

Icon Productions originally held the film rights to the novel, with intentions to develop it as a Mel Gibson vehicle for the big screen.

Goofs:

Factual errors: Kelso states that Arkhangelsk was founded by Peter the Great, but Arkhangelsk was founded no later than 1584, almost a century before Peter was even born.

Quotes:

Fluke Kelso: You should do that more often.
Zinaida: What?
Fluke Kelso: Laugh.

'Archangel' is quite friendly towards those not familiar with the legacy of Josef Stalin, and is an engrossing mystery as a result...

Archangel

Set in contemporary Moscow and the frozen northern town of Archangel, the drama revisits the stark landscape of Communist Russia and takes place over four days in the life of academic Fluke Kelso. His fateful meeting with a former Stalinist bodyguard leads to the uncovering of one of the world's most dangerous and best kept secrets. He is led unwittingly through murder and intrigue towards his own personal "Holy Grail" - Joseph Stalin's secret legacy - a legacy that could change the face of Russian history forever.

'Archangel' is quite friendly towards those not familiar with the legacy of Josef Stalin, and is an engrossing mystery as a result. Unfortunately, there's also a lack of character development here. The people in this television film are just sort of presented to the audience, and then become pawns in the film's narrative. So it doesn't work very well as a thriller, and maybe an extra half an hour or so could have worked out this problem. However, Daniel Craig and Russian actress Yekaterina Rednikova give reliable performances, and the ending is definitely not what I was expecting (but in a good way). Not without its flaws, but worth catching when it's on again.

~ 7/10 ~