MovieChat Forums > Eastern Promises (2007) Discussion > That was very...short.

That was very...short.

posted 8 years ago by The_Blue_Spirit
6 replies | jump to latest

I really liked this movie, but am I the only one who thought it could have used an extra 40 minutes or so? There was so much left undeveloped and so many different directions it could have gone.

For instance, Kirill possibly being gay and trying to hide it from his father, Kirill and Nikolai taking over the empire, Nikolai being a cop(and inevitably having to betray Kirill). Anna and Nikolai's relationship? I'm surprised it ended where it did, completely up in the air, when it could have used much more time to make it a real epic. I rarely say films should be longer, but this was pretty glaring. Anyone else have any thoughts?

"During the meeting, I was the perfect prince. But I wasn't me." -Zuko

[–] franzkabuki 8 years ago

Perhaps. Hardly surprising though, considering that Cronenberg has never made a movie that quite reaches the two hour mark.

"facts are stupid things" Ronald Reagan

[–] easureda 8 years ago

Totally agree. I thought the same thing strait after watching the film

[–] DracTarashV 7 years ago

As far as I'm concerned, it ended at the right time. Yes, a closer look into the things you mentioned would've been interesting, but idk, I believe the film would have turned out differently had it gone that route, for better or worse. I think everything that was needed to be said in this film was... said.

You want something corny? You got it!

[–] NotASpeckOfCereal 7 years ago

Or even just another 20 minutes. I definitely thought that right at the end, too many things not fleshed out.

Brevity is the soul of wit.

[–] pfnuesel 7 years ago

That's exactly why I think it's the perfect ending.

[–] Drooch (5333) 3 years ago

Cronenberg’s films are rarely much more than 90 minutes, it’s one of his strengths. His films are simultaneously very economical yet very rich, leaving plenty for you to chew on after viewing. One viewing is seldom enough.