harriseric-32698 This is an amazing film from Russia. It touched me deeply and only a Russian can make such a poignant tale about relationships that everyone regardless of their background will relate to. Story here is about two brothers who are suddenly confronted by their father who had been absent in their lives since their birth. He takes them on an excursion into the wilderness and tries to teach them the ways of life the way he sees right. I was horrified to learn that the boy who played the elder son died in real life soon after the film was done with production. It makes this film more poignant. Please see this film if you get an opportunity.

Caleb Herrmann Zvyaginstev treats film making following Tarkovsky like Brahms and Mendelssohn composed music after Beethoven. Tarkovsky's shadow proved to extend too far for Zvyaginstev to escape. However, the way Zvyaginstev handles this sense of dominance is extremely tasteful. The references to Tarkovsky are scattered with the perfect amount of variation from the original. By referencing the great Russian film maker, he ran the risk of only imitation. However, the takes on motifs like Christianity and water are put forth in such a way that they seem like extensions and not imitations. Where the piece varies, the young film maker is actually critiquing his predecessor. For instance, Tarkovsky's marked open-endedness is challenged by "The Return," which has a much tighter story line. Brahms did the same thing when he quoted the exact same hymn used in Beethoven's 9th symphony in his 1st symphony, but restricted the symphonic form to an instrumental genre where Beethoven opened it up to a mixture of instrumental and vocal music.

heatherlong12 The Return is a brilliant take on a Russian psychological drama/mystery film. Although not as action-packed as I had expected, the film is extremely suspenseful and emotionally stimulating. The dark and dreary landscape sets a very somber tone for the whole film and although the action is somewhat slow, the story keeps you engaged with the intense emotion conveyed through conversation and facial expressions. The Return tells the story of two young brothers who have to adjust to the homecoming of their father who has been absent for twelve years. The father is immediately portrayed as a mysterious and domineering figure. You aren't given any information about where he's been or who he really is, so you must base your opinion solely on how he acts now. I struggled with deciding whether he loved his sons and wanted to teach them some lessons to toughen them up, or whether he was really just a violent, disturbed man, or some combination of both. We see Andrei and Vanya struggling themselves with what to think of their father. Andrei just wants his father to love him, listening to him without question and trying to act tough, although that wasn't his true character. On the other hand, Vanya is not pleased at all with this man being gone his whole life coming back and telling him what to do. The dynamic of each relationship makes for a very interesting camping trip. From scene to scene you find yourself wondering when something "big" is going to happen. When it finally does- the death of the father- it brings a mix of emotions. By that point, I was fed up with his cruelty; but then he climbs to the top of the tower to try and save a scared Vanya, ultimately sacrificing himself. We never do get answers as to what the father did for a living or what was in the box he recovered; as an audience member, this is frustrating, but it also allows you to form your own conclusions and opinions about the father. There are many iconic films in history that, although are artistically revolutionary, are hard for the general public to watch, but I think The Return is both a creative masterpiece and one most people would enjoy.

Kevin M I truly can't recall seeing a more terrible movie than this one. It blows my mind that anyone would give this garbage a good rating. Literally NOTHING happens throughout the whole flick except one minor incident towards the end that I really couldn't care any less about.We see a hard-ass dad with two terribly behaved kids, and that sums up the entire plot right there. I'm not sure what else to say except that if you enjoy watching a couple brats and a dead-beat dad interact then this boring cure for insomnia will be right up your alley! There was no suspense, certainly nothing "thrilling", and not a single positive thing I can think of to say about it. Awful movie.