Skip to main content

Forbidden Empire review

Image
By


2015

Directed By Oleg Stepchenko

Starring Jason Flemyng, Andrey Smolyakov and Aleksey Chadov

Forbidden Empire is an adaptation of Nikolai Gogol's popular 1835 short story about the demon Viy -- whose gaze was deadly if met eye-to-eye -- it was originally scheduled to be released in 2009 to coincide with the 200th anniversary of Gogol's birth. Jason Flemyng stars as Dzhonatan Grin a cartographer who takes on the task of mapping the uncharted lands of Transylvania.

How well do you know your Nikolai Gogol? I'm not sure if a deep appreciation of 200 year old Russian literature is a prerequisite for Forbidden Empire but I have a feeling it would richen the experience.  I have a similar feeling when I watch Terry Gilliam films. Every frame is bursting with purpose, nothing is accidental and every time you revisit the film some new discovery awaits you. This film (once again like the films of Gilliam) is densely layered but completely approachable. High art for the masses.

This film picks up at the ending of Viy and it hits the ground running. Without explanation or prologue we are thrown into a world that feels somewhat familiar but slightly askew. Mixing elements of steampunk, fantasy and adventure Forbidden Empire is a visual delight, darkly beautiful without veering into Tim Burton territory.

Have I mentioned how fun this movie is? No, well that's an egregious oversight on my behalf. At times funny, at times scary Forbidden Empire works on multiple levels and gives the viewer an entertaining and memorable experience. The reason I'm taking a moment to point this out is the source material. I'm admittedly ignorant when it comes a number of things but when it comes to Russian novelists and their work, I'm utterly clueless. My only real exposure to Russian literature was a half-hearted attempt at reading The Brothers Karamazov, I know its considered a classic but I found it far too dense and reading it was an exhausting experience. So I have a bias based on one book and while I know this isn't fair I haven't found any compelling evedience that my prejudice isn't accurate. That is until now. I'm positive that I'm not ready for Dostoevsky but I might be ready for Gogol. If he was the inspiration for this and Gogol Bordello's name then I'm definitely on board.

This is what happens when I write these things with a few hours sleep. I'm way off track but in a way that's appropriate for this film. Its a frenetic kaleidoscope of light and sound that left me wanting to re watch it immediately. 

Forbidden Empire will be available on VOD May 22nd











Popular posts from this blog

Explaining the Ending of MULHOLLAND DRIVE

By
David Lynch’s Mulholland Drive remains one of the most haunting and enigmatic films ever made. It operates like a riddle that refuses to be solved, luring the viewer into a world where time, memory, and identity dissolve into one another. What begins as a mysterious, almost whimsical Hollywood fairy tale gradually transforms into a psychological nightmare. By the end, it’s clear that what we’ve been watching is not a mystery to be unraveled but an emotional landscape, the mind of a woman caught between fantasy and despair. The film tells the story of two women, Betty Elms and Rita, whose lives intertwine after Rita survives a car crash and loses her memory. Betty, a bright and optimistic aspiring actress freshly arrived in Los Angeles, takes her in. Together, they embark on an investigation into Rita’s identity, which unfolds like a noir detective story bathed in dreamlike light. Everything about this world feels heightened: Betty’s charm, the coincidence of events, and the ease with w...
1 comment
Read More

Explaining the Ending of No Country for Old Men

By
No Country for Old Men is a tense, spare, and philosophical thriller that upends traditional narrative expectations. While it contains the elements of a crime drama—drug deals, hitmen, shootouts—it refuses to follow a conventional path. By the time the film ends, the central conflict seems unresolved, the villain walks away, and the protagonist we’ve been following disappears offscreen. To understand the film’s ending, one must look beyond plot and consider its themes: fate, violence, moral decay, and the erosion of order in the modern world. The Narrative Setup The story begins with Llewelyn Moss (Josh Brolin), a Vietnam veteran who discovers a drug deal gone wrong in the Texas desert and makes off with $2 million in cash. Anton Chigurh (Javier Bardem), a remorseless hitman, is sent to retrieve the money. Sheriff Ed Tom Bell (Tommy Lee Jones), a weary and introspective lawman, tries to make sense of the violence unfolding around him. At first glance, the film appears to set up a c...
Post a Comment
Read More

Dracula (2026) Trailer, Release Date, Cast, and Plot Details

By
Dracula (2026) Trailer, Release Date, Cast, and Plot Details Vertical has officially announced that DRACULA (2026), the latest reimagining of the iconic vampire myth, will be released exclusively in theaters nationwide on February 6, 2026. Written, directed, and produced by visionary filmmaker Luc Besson, the film promises a dark, operatic take on one of cinema’s most enduring legends. Dracula (2026) Cast and Creative Team Besson’s Dracula (2026) stars Caleb Landry Jones in the title role, joined by an impressive ensemble that includes Christoph Waltz, Zoë Bleu, Guillaume de Tonquedec, Matilda De Angelis, Ewens Abid, and Raphael Luce. The film is executive produced by Mark Canton, Dorothy Canton, Ryan Winterstern, and Philippe Corrot, further cementing the project as a major cinematic event. Dracula (2026) Plot Synopsis Set against the brutal backdrop of the 15th century, Dracula (2026) begins with profound personal tragedy. After witnessing the savage murder of his beloved wife (Zoë B...
Post a Comment
Read More