Michelle SweeneyReview - In Tranzit
May 26th 2009 02:02
Shot in extreme conditions in St Petersburg, the movie was directed by Emmy-award winning documentary director Tom Roberts. A dispute between the producers delayed the release date seeing the film head straight for dvd, where in my opinion, it is more well suited.
Vera Farmiga is Natalia, a compassionate camp doctor who works under the command of Pavlov, a high ranking Russian officer. Natalia's mentally unstable husband Andrei (Yevgeni Mironov) is allowed to stay at the camp where Natalia can monitor him, but only in exchange for assistance in Pavlov's cause. While Natalia and fellow worker Zina (Natalie Press) are sympathetic to the prisoner's plight, the majority of the other guards treat the prisoners with disdain, largely due to the death and suffering inflicted on them and their families.
During their incarceration the guards allow the prisoners to start a band and form relationships with women outside of the prison. Natalia herself finds herself drawn to Max (Thomas Kretschmann) although inevitably the relationships will be short lived as soon as the prisoners are reallocated to prison or sent back to Germany.
This is not a blockbuster film by any means. This is a small independent indie film that manages to capture an interesting and relatively unknown part of history around the WWII period. The script however struggles to create any real tension although the actors, on the whole, create an interesting drama portraying the interaction between that of the prisoners and guards.
In Tranzit also stars Daniel Bruhl (The Inglourious Basterds) and Thekla Reuten (In Bruges).
Voyage Review: 3/5
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Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
This one looks like it has potential. Interesting premise and some fine actors.
Love these sidebar topics to WWII, really forced some insane scenarios beyond the surface death and destruction.
Comment by Michelle Sweeney
Competition Queen
Always Learning
Cinema Voyage