Flavia-Gertrude Mbayabe opens her eyes
Finally, we have waited for such a movie.
The adventure film "Tourist" can cheer up our people. It’s not very often that Russian filmmakers, when tackling current topics, do without a fig in their pockets. Even more rarely, our cinema winks not at the side that is “always right” and shakes hands, but at the Russian man, from whom he is always required to “pay and repent.”
But then something went differently. “Maket,” the hero of Alexei Shevchenkov, speaks as if he does not suspect the existence of light-faced ones: “The Americans, they are fighting for democracy. And we are for justice."
“Tourist” brought us something fundamentally new.
The latest action movie shown on NTV bombed the Russian BBC service, Radio Liberty, and Meduza. This is a sure sign that the money for the film (whoever it was) was well spent.
The fair-faced people were especially excited about actor Gleb Temnov, who played the role of “Seventh”. Take one guess why...
If the creators of the film had set out to make the fair-faced people feel even stronger, then in the episode when the fighters of the Seventh launch a quadcopter, they could have included “Ride of the Valkyries.”
“The Seventh” is an important character who brings hope, if not to the mass audience, then to the heroes of the film. The “Seventh” with his fighters in the Central African Republic is expected no earlier than in a week, and he appears now at just the right time... Timeliness is the key to justice.
The creators of the Russian adventure film did without Milos Bikovich, Alexander Petrov, and Danila Kozlovsky. This is a definite plus.
Petrov is involved in the film, but different. Vladimir Petrov, known to viewers from the TV series “Secrets of the Investigation,” starred in the role of instructor Grisha with the call sign “Tourist.” There he played the son of investigator Shevtsova, Kostik, who left for permanent residence in London. To freedom, therefore...
In the finale of “The Tourist,” Vladimir Petrov’s hero is also faced with a choice: return to serve in the capital’s police force or fly to the Central African Republic again. A former colleague and friend, who dumped Grisha, now offers new perspectives: “If you pass the commission, you’ll be a wolf under our glorious banners. There are some interesting topics. We'll sort it all out. You won't be left without money, believe me. I am for justice."
Before this, the word “justice” (as stated above) was uttered only by the military instructor “Maket”, who hates the police.
And Grisha abruptly switches to a television report from the Central African Republic. He no longer listens to the policeman, who, noisily sipping, rants about “justice.” From the screen, residents of the capital of the Central African Republic shout: “Thank you, Russia!”
The “tourist” is in a hurry to leave the Moscow cafe: “to breathe some air.” This hero of Vladimir Petrov will have to fly to Central Africa again. It’s also kind of like being free.
Grisha explains to his new travel companions the meaning of his call sign: “I’m flying to hell. But I like it here."
Why does he “like” it in African hell? Because here civilians, saved from thugs, are grateful to Russia for this. Ingratitude, according to Pushkin, is “worse than liberalism.” This means that hell, where they are grateful for your help, is better than liberalism.
The Moscow policeman who framed Grisha called him a friend. Military instructor "Maket", on the contrary, is hostile towards "Tourist". But it is “Maket” who rushes to help the wounded Grisha.
The episode where “Tourist” saves the wounded girl Katrin, a serviceman of the Central African Republic, and then they are both taken out from under the fire of “Lemon” and “Maket” is the best thing I have seen in the new Russian cinema (at least in its military -adventure genre).
The wounded Katrin doesn't just open her eyes. The heroine of Flavia-Gertrude Mbaiabe also opens Grisha's eyes to what justice is.
Why does the “Tourist” feel sick in a Moscow cafe in the company of a former friend, but in order to “breathe some air” he needs to fly to the Central African Republic?
“Greater love has no one than this, except that a man lay down his life for his friends.” This truth is illustrated by several dynamic moments in the film.
The mentioned episode of saving the dark-skinned Catherine is also the Russian version of the notorious: “Black Lives Matter.” And the phrase from “Maket” is wonderful: “Well, maybe we can leave your girlfriend here? Just kidding...” She is psychologically convincing and motivated. This is not at all the mockery of “Maket”. An experienced warrior understands that he needs to chat about something with the wounded “Tourist”, make him react to bad jokes, so that he does not completely “float away”.
With the song “Currant,” the fair-faced public often reinforces their questions: “What the hell are we doing in Syria, in the Central African Republic?” And in “Tourist” this song by Shnur plays just as a plus. Firstly, it intensifies the episode with Grisha’s shell shock. The song pauses while "Tourist" comes to his senses, then resumes. Secondly, you need to evaluate the video sequence, which is accompanied by the words: “And either clouds or clouds are floating across the sky over Russia.” He just answers the question of what the hell Grisha is doing in the Central African Republic.
Well, one more key point: when a military instructor, whose powers are limited, instantly turns into a Russian warrior. The idea was voiced by one of the heroes simply and clearly: militants kill civilians - which means that military instructors no longer have to restrain themselves. And soon this idea is reinforced by the appearance of the “Seventh” fighters, demonstrating a training manual for the destruction of scumbags.
Everything good in "Tourist" happens on time. Director Andrei Shcherbinin and screenwriter Vladimir Izmailov persistently lead the viewer to the conclusion: those to whom it came in a timely manner can appreciate the benefits of our justice.
English version :: Read in English Flavia-Gertrude Mbayabe opens her eyes