The Heritage of Love

This was apparently the highest grossing film at the Russian box office upon release which speaks to the level of media control and indoctrination there at the moment.

This melodrama of the highest level plays with all the sophistication of a 1930s B movie. Over the top acting and music cues really ham up the plot, which I might add has holes in it you can drive a bus through.

The movie is so pro-imperialist and very anti-Soviet revolution. This is interesting in itself as it must reflect the political climate in Russia at the moment.This is something I would like to look more into.

Visually it is bright and lavish and detailed, if not slightly derivative. The acting is poor. Dima Bilan is the lead. He may have won the Eurovision Song Contest but an actor that does not him make.

I am very glad I did not pay to see this, but instead won tickets to the Melbourne Russian Film Festival. I probably would have preferred to stay at home, instead of incredulously rolling around in my cinema chair at each new unsubtle and cringe-worthy development.