Lee Eisenberg Around the time that I watched Filipp Yankovsky's "Statskiy sovetnik" ("The State Counsellor" in English), I read Boris Akunin's "Altyn Tolobas", depicting Erast Fandorin's grandson. It's worth comparing and contrasting the stories, but the eras in which they take place. The stories featuring Erast Fandorin take place in czarist Russia, while the ones featuring Nicholas Fandorin (raised in England due to his mother having fled the 1917 revolution) take place after the Soviet Union broke up.Anyway, in this movie we see Erast Fandorin trying to stop a revolutionary group from overthrowing the czar, but his dealings with Prince Pozharsky complicate things. Practically every character in the movie has something to hide. I wouldn't call it a masterpiece, but I like how they laid out the plot, and the casting was just right. Worth seeing.

Alex Koriakin (alexkoriakin) The plot of this film is the murder of the adjutant General Khrapov. Someone posing as a state Councilor Fandorin is in the sleeping carriages on the train and commits murder, then begins a long but very exciting story. It is worth noting that this film is a screen adaptation of the novel by Boris Akunin, and this is from the movie some points have been removed, although very few of them.What is so special about this film?History. Here believe it or not, but having started to watch this movie, you will spend the next 2 hours completely forgetting about her case. Not for nothing is the filmmakers chose the slogan: "The games are over. Now the real Fandorin in the present case"The action takes place in the late 19th century, even on this young audience more clear. The "simple and clear" language of the narrative. Acting. The cast of this film can be called a bouquet, if you want cream of the time. Brilliant Menshikov fully felt in the role of Fandorin. Nikita Mikhalkov, who agreed to say "meow" in the movie and put a tear in a brilliant climax. Mashkov absolutely confidently played the role of Kozyr'. Of course, Khabenskiy, not afraid to take the hardest of the image of the Green and pass it at the highest level. Depressing that the image of the green revealed only in the uncut version.In addition to these actors, the film scatter most known masters: Tabakov, Efremov, Spivak, Fandera, Bondarchuk, Gorbunov, Mironov and many others.Larger scenes. Especially with pyrotechnics. The scene robberies chariot of the state Treasury, and the scene in Neskuchny garden will certainly remain in Your memory.Music. Do not say, but the music, which was written by Enri Lolashvili beautiful rests on the history and has become a great component of this film. It's heavy, which transmits the gravity of the situation, but yet very beautiful.The good news is that the film was a place for humor. It a bit, but he was very good.In conclusion, I will say that for 10 years, this film is not in any doubt about the assessment.10 out of 10

shusei As in Hollywood "classic"films of 1930-40s,anywhere in the world "blockbuster"films have common weakness--if not eclecticism of style,then noises-seemingly needless scenes and characters in dramaturgy."Statskiy sovetnik" isn't the exceptional case.But here such flaws are less than any other Russian "blockbusters" in recent years.They are strategically included into the plot,so that they will look necessary elements of the drama(in fact,I think,not). Litovinova,an eccentric lady,strangely sympathetic to revolutionary movement,hating Ppojarskiy and falling in love with Fandorin,is utterly unnatural and inconsistent.But her character is charming in its way and her behavior partly helps the plot developing. The same can be said about the Japanese servant of Fandorin, Masa(again,utterly nonsense if consider the historical moment just before the 1905 revolution). But he also helps the plot developing, including Fandorin's affair with Litovinova and solving the case.Weakness of style also can be pointed out.Director Philip Yankovsky so often uses dissolve, which make the temporal order of some scenes unclear at their beginning.In spite of such flaws,"Statskiy sovetnik" is so far the best of Russian "blockbusters" made from 2003 to 2007. Its decent, even elegant look is undeniable. Dramatic elaboration of the "terrorisim" theme is excellent(it's one of the best element of this film),main actors' and operator's works are quite adequate. Some scenes are far above Hollywood analogue(especially,the scenes with tragic lovers:Green and Needle, and verbal duel of Fandorin and Pojarskiy).As I believe that excellent genre films are far more precious for cinema as a whole than bad "arthouse"films, I rate this 8 of 10.

manya7 Being a fan of the Fandorin novels, I had high hopes for this film, especially with the casting of Oleg Menshikov as the "mature" Fandorin. Like other viewers, I thought he looked the part, but also like others, I felt he did not project Fandorin's humanity. My conception of Fandorin is that he is not a snob, but rather respectful, often silent and constantly analyzing each situation. I felt the love interest in the film was gratuitous; the woman did not otherwise figure into the plot and their scenes together were simply eye-candy (and not enough of that, since we get to see "more" of her than we do of him).The supporting cast was stellar---if I have ANY criticism, it's that Nikita Mikhalkov steals every scene he is in (and he is in most of them). I had the feeling that a lot of his dialog and stage direction was improvised. He certainly did make an wonderful villain at the end, though---I loved the scene where he shoots Julie in cold blood, then mutters "Prosti" (as if she could hear him or ever forgive him!) The art direction, cinematography, costume design, lighting and locale choice were all excellent. The story held my attention for two hours, and was only marred somewhat by a weak ending.Here's hoping Menshikov will do more Fandorin films! This one was head and shoulders above the first two films about Fandorin, which utilized other actors in the title role. I would like to see Yankovsky or Mikhalkov re-shoot "Azazel" or film "The Death of Achilles", since both have superbly drawn villains(esses) and are my favorite books of the series.