WATCH THE TRAILER HERE
Directed by Daniel Espinosa and based on the novel by Tom Rob Smith, we are initially introduced to the harsh upbringing of young Leo Demidov (Xavier Atkins) in the Stalin-era Soviet Union, first as an orphan onward through his last days in combat during WWII. Now in 1953, an adult Demidov (Tom Hardy) is an officer with the secret police, often given the unsavory duty of hunting down suspected spies to bring in for questioning and what comes after. Harder still is his home life with wife Raisa (Noomi Rapace), who seems more distant and uninterested in being married to him despite his love for her. Unexpected circumstances arise when Demidov investigates the shocking death of a young boy, which he clearly sees is murder, but yet the powers that be will not admit as such, since that form of crime is considered non-existent. Combined with another accusation against him and Raisa, hence forcing them into exile, Demidov chooses to continue to dig into the murder, even as it then escalates into the hunt for a serial killer. With the reluctant aid of a new boss, General Mikhail Nesterov (Gary Oldman), and being pursued by a disgruntled former friend Vasili (Joel Kinnaman), Demidov’s idealistic principals and dogged determination to find and stop a killer tests his and Raisa’s relationship, their loyalties to the State, and the lengths one will go to in order to find justice in a place where revealing the truth can cost your life.
The ultimate gist of the story being the hunt for a serial killer in the Stalin-controlled Soviet Union not withstanding, “Child 44” is an overtly dark, somber, and often flat out unnerving thriller in its long narrative about a child-killing spree occurring during an already tumultuous period in Soviet history, made harsher when the existing government won’t even acknowledge that these heinous acts are anything more than “accidents”. Hardy plays Demidov with his usual bravado and conviction, as a man who is loyal to the State and the duties attached to it, but also to discovering the truth and standing on his own personal morals, which is what moreso brings him into conflict with former friends and officials. Rapace stood out for this reviewer in her portrayal of Raisa, a woman stuck in multiple, impossible situations with seemingly no way out, yet, finding a way to stand by her husband despite the pressures against them both. Strong supporting turns by Oldman, Kinnaman, and character actors Vincent Cassel and Jason Clarke do add to the quality of this effort from an acting standpoint. The harshness of language and raw, visceral nature of the violence here will turn some off, and just the overall tone of the film is so borderline depressing, that even a final moment of positivity during the final act seems too little, too late. Add the almost 2 hour 2o minute runtime, and overall, it is an effort, though well acted, that falls short of true greatness.
As always, this is all for your consideration and comment. Until next time, thank you for reading!
