Film Review of Karen Oganesyan’s "The Ghost" ["Domovoy" (Russia)]
A Magnum Studio production in association with Central Partnership.
(International sales: Central Partnership, Moscow.)
Produced by Ruben Dishdishyan, Anna Melikyan. Directed by Karen
Oganesyan. Screenplay, Oleg Malovichko.
With: Konstantin Khabensky, Vladimir Mashkov, Chulpan Khamatova.
Variety.com
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Reviewed by ROBERT KOEHLER
TORONTO — If Karen Oganesyan’s "The Ghost" hadn’t been so blatantly
tooled as an item for Hollywood remake, it might have proved to be a
clever fusion of the twin Russian obsessions for the criminal
underground and the literary world. When the film’s bestselling crime
novelist hits a creative slump and finds sudden inspiration from a
hitman who could have popped from the pages of one of his tomes, the
action flirts with outright comedy, but turns into a merely mediocre
shoot-’em-up straining for effect. Surefire local B.O. likely will gird
a future deal with a Stateside studio.
Author Anton (Konstantin Khabensky) is signing copies of his latest
book, "The Ghost’s Revenge," in a Moscow bookstore when he witnesses
hitman Mikhail (Vladimir Mashkov) perform a swift assassination across
the street. Beset with his own personal and familial demons, Anton
proves vulnerable to Mikhail’s entreaties to let him provide the author
with an insider’s view of the life of a killer-for-hire. Even
half-interested viewers will be far ahead of Anton in his shock that
he’s become a pawn in Mikhail’s larger game, which turns out to be only
slightly intriguing.
Camera (color, widescreen), Zaur Bolotaev; editor, Oganesyan; music,
Nino Katamadze, Gocha Kacheishvily, Ucha Gugunava, David Abuladze;
production designer, Ulyana Ryabova. Reviewed at Toronto Film Festival
(Contemporary World Cinema), Sept. 9, 2008. Running time: 110 MIN.
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