Child 44

Since we have seen so many films that have been based on a true story, another film that comes along would seem to prove to be based on yet another true story, especially when it is set as a period film about politics, murder with a thriller feel to it. However "Child 44" is actually based on a novel and not a true story at all ,even though it has the feel of one.

Based on the first of a trilogy by Tom Rob Smith and set in the Stalin era of the Soviet Union in 1953, this story centers on an idealistic pro-Stalin MGB security police agent, Leo Demitov (Tom Hardy) who decides to investigate a series of child murders in a country where supposedly this sort of crime doesn't exist. The state would not hear of the existence of a child murderer let alone a serial killer. Meanwhile, the state is killing those who are considered traitors, and since the suspicion of treason is placed over the head of Leo's wife, Raisa (Noomi Rapace), his boss, Major Kuzmin (Vincent Cassel) of the state decide to demote and exile Leo for not denouncing her. He and Raisa are sent to the militia lead by General Mikhail Nesterov (Gary Oldman), but decides, once there, with just the help of his wife, to continue pursuing the case, even with the politics of it all trying to come down around Leo and Raisa.

Others to round out the cast are Joel Kinnaman as Vasili, Paddy Considine as Vladimir Malevich, Fares Fares as Alexei Andreyev, Jason Clarke as Anatoly Brodsky, a suspected traitor, Nikolaj Lie Kaas as Ivan Sukov, Josef Altin as Alexander, Mark Lewis Jones as Tortoise, Sam Spruell as Dr. Tyapkin and Charles Dance as Major Grachev.

This was intensely directed by Daniel Espinosa ("Babylonsjukan" '04, "Outside Love" '07, "Easy Money" '10, "Safe House" '12). Considering the era which this took place, the austere coldness in which these actors exuded was spot on, and his staging of these actors was real and showcased these actors well. It was written by Richard Price ("The Color of Money" '86, "Sea of Love" '89, "Clockers" '95, "Ransom" '96, "Freedomland" '06) plus other films and TV, based on Smith's novel. This was extremely developed as far as character development was concerned, however it did get a bit bogged down as the storyline went from the espionage aspects to the child murder investigations and back again, and it was a little slow at times. But all in all it was one film that definitely had you on the edge of your seat biting your nails. Between Hardy and Rapace, I'm not sure which one shined more. Their intensity and grit was amazing especially as you saw there normal routine lives slowly coming to a halt.

As a history lesson, this was a very stoic time for mankind--one where it had society as a whole paranoid and scared to death, quite literally in some cases. So it was a tough watch for this certainly, but if you're into accuracy, the look of this, the attitude of different characters and the coldness of it all will keep you glued to the screen if all else fails.

Out of 4 Stars: 3                               Rated: R                                   137mins.