Former gangster Victor Lambert is a professional thief specializing in the theft of works of art. After serving prison time in France for an art heist, he returns to his Russian home to investigate the circumstances surrounding the brutal murder of his son Jeremy three months earlier. He enlists the assistance of his former accomplice Alexandra Ivanov.
London-based production company Saradan Media announced 15 May 2013, that Liz Hurley and Gérard Depardieu were about to begin filming an action film project in Russia under the working title of Turquoise and directed by Philippe Martinez.[12] On 22 May Saradan Media revealed that "Tourquoise" and Viktor were the same project.[13] Filming began in Grozny on Saturday 18 May 2013, with expectations that the film would be released in late 2013.[14] The film actually released in Russia in September 2014.[15]
Critical responseedit
On Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 0% based on 7 reviews, with an average rating of 1.60/10.[16] The film was very not well received in France,[17][18] and generally considered a flop in its US release, with many US sources describing Depardieu's girth as making him unbelievable as an action hero.
The Detroit News wrote, "In his younger days, Depardieu had a burly charm, but the dude is 65 now and has to weigh 300 pounds. He looks ludicrous in action sequences".[1]The Hollywood Reporter wrote, "Depardieu, age 65 and looking like he can barely move due to his massive girth..."[5] continuing "the film is relentlessly tedious when it's not being laughable", sharing that the "latter aspect is exemplified by the supposed romantic relationship between the morbidly obese Depardieu and the gorgeous Hurley, whose adoring gazes toward her co-star demonstrate that her acting abilities have perhaps been underestimated".[5]San Francisco Weekly wrote, "The 66-year-old Depardieu was no action hero even in his prime, and as his girth now rivals Paul Masson-era Orson Welles, we're meant to believe he strikes fear into his enemies".[6]Film Journal International writes of the film's weak points, stating, "...sadly, the problem is Depardieu, who lumbers through the film looking as though he's tormented by indigestion rather than a lust for vengeance",[7] and toward the film, "Viktor is surprisingly dull".[7] They did, however, speak well toward the film's cinematography, expressing pleasure at the director's "delivering the genre staples – car chases, gun battles, a little torture (a reluctant informer), female flesh and endless dark alleys and mean streets – and Moscow is wall-to-wall with photo ops, from the winding Neva River to the Cathedral of St. Basil, which has made so many movie appearances it should be getting above-the-title billing".[7]The Los Angeles Times wrote that seeing "the film's corpulent, 65-year-old star, Gérard Depardieu, play a brash killing machine who beds the likes of the gorgeous Elizabeth Hurley is truly like entering some cinematic Bizarro world. Think Charles Durning as Dirty Harry".[8] The reviewer wrote the film was a "hackneyed jumble ... a fiery car chase, a couple of shootouts and an eyes-averting torture scene fill this competently shot movie's action quota. But a tone-switching epilogue proves hokey — and a little spooky".[8]CBS News noted that while film was "beautifully shot" and director of photography Jean-Francois Hensgens brought out "the stunning Russian landscape", the film's beauty was "brought down by the clunky dialogue and the slow, plodding plot".[9]
Referencesedit
^ abLong, Tom (22 October 2014). "Gerard Depardieu flops as an action hero in 'Viktor'". The Detroit News. Retrieved 22 March 2015.
^King, Danny (22 October 2014). "With Viktor, Gérard Depardieu Gets His Own Taken". The Village Voice. Retrieved 22 March 2015.
^staff (24 October 2014). "Gerard Depardieu is out for blood in 'Viktor'". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved 22 March 2015.
^Neumaier, Joe (24 October 2014). "'Viktor,' movie review". New York Daily News. Retrieved 22 March 2014.
^ abcScheck, Frank (23 October 2014). "'Viktor': Film Review". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 22 March 2015.
^ abConnelly, Sherilyn (21 October 2014). ""Viktor": Gerard Depardieu Makes for a Hilarious Action Star". San Francisco Weekly. Retrieved 22 March 2015.
^ abcGoldstein, Gary (23 October 2014). "Review: 'Viktor' a hackneyed avenging-dad action flick". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 22 March 2014.
^ abMcKinney, Mike (23 October 2014). ""Viktor" Movie Review". CBS News. Retrieved 23 March 2015.
^Rapold, Nicolas (23 October 2014). "How Do You Say 'Rough Customers' in Russian?". The New York Times. Retrieved 22 March 2015.
^Herszenhorn, David M. (21 May 2013). "Depardieu, Newly a Russian, Will Play Frenchman in Chechnya". The New York Times. Retrieved 23 March 2015.
^Hawksley, Rupert (15 May 2013). "Gérard Depardieu set to star alongside Liz Hurley in new Russian thriller". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 23 March 2015.
^"VIKTOR (a.k.a. Turquoise) in the News: The Moscow Times". Saradan Media. Retrieved 23 March 2015.
^staff (22 May 2013). "Depardieu Defends Chechnya After Boston Bombing". The Moscow Times. Retrieved 23 March 2015.
^Porter, Sergei (4 September 2014). "New Film Starring French Actor Gerard Depardieu Hits Russian Theaters". The Moscow Times. Retrieved 23 March 2015.
^staff (13 January 2015). "Viktor (2014)". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 20 May 2021.
^Andersen, Odd (5 November 2014). "Le bide de l'année ? Le dernier film de Gérard Depardieu fait... 77 entrées". Sud-Ouest (in French). Retrieved 22 March 2015.
^staff (11 November 2014). "Gérard Depardieu se prend un râteau aux Etats-Unis En galère au pays de l'Oncle Sam". Voici (in French). Retrieved 22 March 2015.
viktor, film, this, article, about, 2014, film, films, with, similar, title, victor, film, viktor, russian, Виктор, 2014, crime, thriller, film, written, directed, philippe, martinez, starring, gérard, depardieu, elizabeth, hurley, film, premiered, september, . This article is about the 2014 film For films with a similar title see Victor Film Viktor Russian Viktor is a 2014 crime thriller film written and directed by Philippe Martinez Starring Gerard Depardieu and Elizabeth Hurley the film premiered 2 September 2014 in Moscow and debuted in New York City on 24 October 2014 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 The project was filmed entirely in Russia and 8 being set in Moscow 9 it was filmed in locations in both Moscow and the Chechen capital of Grozny 10 11 ViktorFilm posterRussianViktorDirected byPhilippe MartinezWritten byPhilippe MartinezProduced byArnaud FrilleyBlanche NeumannAlain MonneStarringGerard DepardieuElizabeth HurleyCinematographyJean Francois HensgensEdited byThomas FernandezMusic byFrederic DunisArnaud FrilleyProductioncompaniesB TweenBaboushka FilmKapara PicturesDistributed byInception Media GroupSaradan MediaRelease dates2 September 2014 2014 09 02 Moscow 24 October 2014 2014 10 24 New York City Running time134 minutesCountriesRussiaFranceLanguagesEnglishRussian Contents 1 Premise 2 Cast 3 Production 4 Critical response 5 References 6 External linksPremise editFormer gangster Victor Lambert is a professional thief specializing in the theft of works of art After serving prison time in France for an art heist he returns to his Russian home to investigate the circumstances surrounding the brutal murder of his son Jeremy three months earlier He enlists the assistance of his former accomplice Alexandra Ivanov Cast editGerard Depardieu as Victor Lambert Elizabeth Hurley as Alexandra Ivanov Eli Danker as Souliman Polina Kuzminskaya as Katerina Evgeniya Akhremenko as Inspector Plutova Igor Yatsko as Police Officer Vadim Frederic Ducastel as shooter bad guy Jean Baptiste Fillon as Jeremy Pavel Klimov as Egor Marika Gvilava as Tatiana Marcello Mazzarella as Claudio Martelli Denis Karasyov as Anton Belinskiy Kait Tenison as Herself Alexei Petrenko as VetrovProduction editLondon based production company Saradan Media announced 15 May 2013 that Liz Hurley and Gerard Depardieu were about to begin filming an action film project in Russia under the working title of Turquoise and directed by Philippe Martinez 12 On 22 May Saradan Media revealed that Tourquoise and Viktor were the same project 13 Filming began in Grozny on Saturday 18 May 2013 with expectations that the film would be released in late 2013 14 The film actually released in Russia in September 2014 15 Critical response editOn Rotten Tomatoes the film holds an approval rating of 0 based on 7 reviews with an average rating of 1 60 10 16 The film was very not well received in France 17 18 and generally considered a flop in its US release with many US sources describing Depardieu s girth as making him unbelievable as an action hero The Detroit News wrote In his younger days Depardieu had a burly charm but the dude is 65 now and has to weigh 300 pounds He looks ludicrous in action sequences 1 The Hollywood Reporter wrote Depardieu age 65 and looking like he can barely move due to his massive girth 5 continuing the film is relentlessly tedious when it s not being laughable sharing that the latter aspect is exemplified by the supposed romantic relationship between the morbidly obese Depardieu and the gorgeous Hurley whose adoring gazes toward her co star demonstrate that her acting abilities have perhaps been underestimated 5 San Francisco Weekly wrote The 66 year old Depardieu was no action hero even in his prime and as his girth now rivals Paul Masson era Orson Welles we re meant to believe he strikes fear into his enemies 6 Film Journal International writes of the film s weak points stating sadly the problem is Depardieu who lumbers through the film looking as though he s tormented by indigestion rather than a lust for vengeance 7 and toward the film Viktor is surprisingly dull 7 They did however speak well toward the film s cinematography expressing pleasure at the director s delivering the genre staples car chases gun battles a little torture a reluctant informer female flesh and endless dark alleys and mean streets and Moscow is wall to wall with photo ops from the winding Neva River to the Cathedral of St Basil which has made so many movie appearances it should be getting above the title billing 7 The Los Angeles Times wrote that seeing the film s corpulent 65 year old star Gerard Depardieu play a brash killing machine who beds the likes of the gorgeous Elizabeth Hurley is truly like entering some cinematic Bizarro world Think Charles Durning as Dirty Harry 8 The reviewer wrote the film was a hackneyed jumble a fiery car chase a couple of shootouts and an eyes averting torture scene fill this competently shot movie s action quota But a tone switching epilogue proves hokey and a little spooky 8 CBS News noted that while film was beautifully shot and director of photography Jean Francois Hensgens brought out the stunning Russian landscape the film s beauty was brought down by the clunky dialogue and the slow plodding plot 9 References edit a b Long Tom 22 October 2014 Gerard Depardieu flops as an action hero in Viktor The Detroit News Retrieved 22 March 2015 King Danny 22 October 2014 With Viktor Gerard Depardieu Gets His Own Taken The Village Voice Retrieved 22 March 2015 staff 24 October 2014 Gerard Depardieu is out for blood in Viktor Detroit Free Press Retrieved 22 March 2015 Neumaier Joe 24 October 2014 Viktor movie review New York Daily News Retrieved 22 March 2014 a b c Scheck Frank 23 October 2014 Viktor Film Review The Hollywood Reporter Retrieved 22 March 2015 a b Connelly Sherilyn 21 October 2014 Viktor Gerard Depardieu Makes for a Hilarious Action Star San Francisco Weekly Retrieved 22 March 2015 a b c d staff 23 October 2013 Film Review Viktor Film Journal International Retrieved 23 March 2014 a b c Goldstein Gary 23 October 2014 Review Viktor a hackneyed avenging dad action flick Los Angeles Times Retrieved 22 March 2014 a b McKinney Mike 23 October 2014 Viktor Movie Review CBS News Retrieved 23 March 2015 Rapold Nicolas 23 October 2014 How Do You Say Rough Customers in Russian The New York Times Retrieved 22 March 2015 Herszenhorn David M 21 May 2013 Depardieu Newly a Russian Will Play Frenchman in Chechnya The New York Times Retrieved 23 March 2015 Hawksley Rupert 15 May 2013 Gerard Depardieu set to star alongside Liz Hurley in new Russian thriller The Daily Telegraph Retrieved 23 March 2015 VIKTOR a k a Turquoise in the News The Moscow Times Saradan Media Retrieved 23 March 2015 staff 22 May 2013 Depardieu Defends Chechnya After Boston Bombing The Moscow Times Retrieved 23 March 2015 Porter Sergei 4 September 2014 New Film Starring French Actor Gerard Depardieu Hits Russian Theaters The Moscow Times Retrieved 23 March 2015 staff 13 January 2015 Viktor 2014 Rotten Tomatoes Retrieved 20 May 2021 Andersen Odd 5 November 2014 Le bide de l annee Le dernier film de Gerard Depardieu fait 77 entrees Sud Ouest in French Retrieved 22 March 2015 staff 11 November 2014 Gerard Depardieu se prend un rateau aux Etats Unis En galere au pays de l Oncle Sam Voici in French Retrieved 22 March 2015 External links editOfficial website Viktor at IMDb nbsp Viktor on the director s website French Viktor at Rotten Tomatoes Viktor at AllMovie Viktor at Metacritic Viktor at KinoPoisk Russian Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Viktor film amp oldid 1215390445, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
