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Ürünstar 4.0
Heart of Parm
This 2022 film is a total gem. I mean, it's a great choice if you're looking for a movie that won't break the bank but still delivers on value for money. The storyline's got some real depth, and the cinematography is seriously impressive - it's like you're right there in the Italian countryside.
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A Visually Stunning but Dragged-Out Film with Stunning Natural Scenery
summarizeEditor's Summary
I was blown away by the stunning natural scenery in 'Heart of the Pair', but the film's dragged-out pace left me feeling underwhelmed. As a fan of Russian cinema, I was excited to dive into this drama-fantasy film, but unfortunately, it didn't quite live up to my expectations. The film's visually stunning cinematography and beautiful costumes were definite highlights, but the confusing storyline and lack of historical accuracy made it a tough watch. The film's themes of love and sacrifice are timeless and universal, but they're handled in a way that feels heavy-handed and overly sentimental at times. The film's use of lighting is impressive, with a range of moods and atmospheres that add to the overall tension. With its stunning visuals and engaging storyline, 'Heart of the Pair' has the potential to be a game-changer in the world of Russian cinema, but it needs some serious editing to reach its full potential. I'd recommend this film to fans of Russian cinema, but with a warning: it's not for the faint of heart.
settingsSpecifications
Kararİyi
Kalite7/10
Görünüm9/10
Orjinalite8/10
Hello everyone!
I'd heard of the movie 'Heart of the Pair', but I'd never seen it and hadn't even caught the trailer. To be honest, I thought it was a completely different film and not a Russian one at all, let alone the one I ended up watching. But I'd have kept thinking that way for a lot longer if I hadn't been hanging out in travel groups where they post weekend trips from Ufa. One of the trips was to the Perm Krai, and it mentioned that they'd be visiting the film's set for a photo shoot.
That's when I got curious about the film and what it was about. So, my husband and I settled in to watch it. So, did I enjoy the film? What kind of emotions did it evoke? What did I like and what didn't I? I'll get into all of that in my review today.
A Little About 'Heart of the Pair'
Genre: drama, fantasy
It's actually a drama-fantasy film, which is what it's billed as. Some events set off a chain reaction that led to a dramatic outcome. Some people complain that the film's not historically accurate and that it's all a bit confusing, but it's worth noting that this isn't a historical film trying to be accurate, and it's not a documentary, even though it was shot in a bygone era when Russia was home to different tribes with their own separate princes. Plus, it's marked as a fantasy film, so the creators could add some magic to make it more engaging, which they definitely did.
heart of the pair 2022 film reviewsCountry: Russia
As it turns out, the movie is Russian, and they even shot it in the Perm region, not too far from where I live. In fact, it's close enough that I could potentially visit the filming locations in a day. Now I've got a new idea to check out the sets - that would be interesting.
Director: Anton Megerdichov
I've seen some of this director's other work, like 'Another World' and 'New Year's Elves 3', which I enjoyed. 'Another World' is also a fantasy movie, while 'New Year's Elves 3' is a heartwarming comedy to get you in the holiday spirit.
Music: Igor Vdovin
I loved the music in this film. It's been expertly chosen and really helps to recreate the atmosphere of the time period in which the story takes place. It had a kind of old-Slavic, instrumental feel to it - it sounded really effective overall.
Duration: 159 min.
The movie ended up being a bit on the long side - over 2.5 hours. I have to admit, I got a bit tired towards the end. As a result, it felt a bit drawn out to me. In my opinion, they could have cut a few moments and made the film more dynamic.
Heart of Parma 2022 movie reviewsMovie ratingKinopoisk - 7.5 out of 10
It's a bit of a shame, but Russian movies aren't usually very popular. My husband was hesitant to watch it at first, saying he didn't want to watch a Russian film. But we ended up watching it anyway, and he gave it a 9 out of 10.
I'll be honest, the movie didn't blow me away, but I didn't hate it either. I was expecting a lower rating, but 7.5 surprised me a bit.
So, What's This Movie About?
As I mentioned earlier, I hadn't seen the trailer or read anything about the movie, except for the title card before I started watching and noticing the actor who played the role of Kunitsa in the Russian movie 'Skiif', which I also wrote a review for. That's when I thought to myself, 'Oh, this actor is Russian.'
But I'd like to share the movie's description:
Russian Prince Mikhail and young Tiche, children of different nations, worlds, and gods. The love between the young warrior and the witch-lamia seems impossible, but it overcomes all obstacles, setting off a chain reaction of fate. Now, it's up to Mikhail to decide the future of his native Parma, the ancient, harsh lands infused with the magical power of bloodthirsty pagan gods. Here, heroes and ghosts, princes and shamans, Voguls and Muscovites collide. Here, dying is not as scary as choosing between duty, loyalty to your brotherhood, and love for the only woman in the world.
Heart of Parma 2022 movie reviewThe movie is about Russian Prince Mikhail, who rules over his native Parma. But he's fallen in love with a girl named Tiche, who's destined to be a witch-lamia. Sounds not so bad, if it weren't for one thing. At that time, Russia was actively undergoing the process of mass conversion of its people.
I love how the missionaries ventured into the unknown, driven by a mission to build temples, convert people to Christianity, and rid the land of paganism - and sometimes this crusade was bloody.
In the film, we see the clash between Christianity and paganism, missionaries facing off against shamans and the like. So, it's no surprise that the love between the Russian prince and the witch, Lami, who lives by her own rules, is destined to be a heavy test for both of them.
To be honest, I didn't pay much attention to history in school, and what I did learn didn't stick, so I wasn't expecting historical accuracy. Who knows what really happened all those years ago? History is written by people just like us, and I was hoping for an entertaining visual experience, either good or bad.
Heart of Parma 2022 film reviewsSo, did I enjoy the film? You'll find out below.
My Take on the Film
If I had to sum up the film, I'd say it was more good than bad. It's a visually stunning, high-budget film that really delivers.
The production team didn't skimp on costs - they even built a whole village just for filming, and now it's one of the top attractions in the Perm region, which I'm determined to visit.
The set is located near the city of Gubakha, on the banks of the Kosva River. From what I've seen in the film, it's an impressive wooden structure with high walls and strong gates. It's like a fortified town where people used to live and defend themselves against invaders behind those gates.
One thing that really stood out to me was the attention to detail in the costumes for both the main and secondary characters. They all looked like they belonged in that time period, which added to the overall authenticity of the film.
The action scenes were also pretty intense, and it was interesting to see the difference in fighting styles between the prince's men and the Moscowites. The prince's men seemed to be more of a wild card, whereas the Moscowites had a more tactical approach and were able to hold their own with fewer casualties.
The Heart of Parma 2022: A Film ReviewI have to say, the pacing of the film was a bit off for me. It started with the prince as a young boy, and then suddenly he's grown up and in charge of the kingdom. It felt like there were some unnecessary scenes that could have been cut to make the film feel less dragged out.
But fortunately, the filmmakers added some fantasy elements to keep things interesting. It was nice to see where they'd take the story next and what other surprises they had in store.
I've got to say, the movie does have some pretty racy scenes - the bedroom scenes. Some people say there are a lot of them, but I think there's just not enough and they're crammed into a ridiculously short runtime, so I don't agree with those who claim there's a lot of sex in the film.
There's also a nude scene, but let's be real, it's basically just the bare-assed Tichie popping up every now and then. But they shot it from far away or she's hiding behind her hair, so I wouldn't call it super explicit.
Heart of Parmy 2022 film reviewsThat being said, I didn't really take to the main heroine. But if you want to be fair, she's definitely a far cry from the typical Russian girls - she's got super pronounced Asian features, so she looked like a wild woman and was pretty unique. My husband, on the other hand, thought she was pretty great.
I also thought Alexander Kuznetsov was a poor fit for the role of Prince Mikhail. Every time I saw him, I kept thinking of Kunitsa from the film 'Skiif'. Kunitsa was a pretty interesting and primal character, a bit rough around the edges and very skilled, but in the role of Prince Mikhail, he just seemed whiny and weak.
Plus, he's got red hair, but the kid who played him as a kid was a dark-haired little boy with a completely different face shape, which just didn't make sense. As a kid, he was dark, but then he grows up to be a redhead.
On the other hand, I really liked and remembered three characters - the first Aysyka, played by actor Valentin Tszyu, who was basically the Prince's arch-nemesis, but I felt some emotions for him and I'm glad everything worked out for him in the end, as shown in the film.
The Heart of Parm 2022 movie reviewsI really loved the centaur in this movie - it's such a unique and mythological creature that matches its owner's character.
And I still remember its lines - 'the woman is yours, Lamiya is mine' - and that's why Tichy was torn between them, causing both men a lot of distress. To be honest, Tichy's role is quite complex, and I found myself getting frustrated with her at times, but now I think she had it tough - she's not just a woman, but a spirit too.
But I'm getting sidetracked - the second character is the Tatar warrior Isur, who's loyal to Mikhail, a talented warlord, and just a gorgeous guy. The way he wielded his whip to defend the princess's honor left me in awe.
The third character reminded me of an elf - Michkin, the prince of the Uros fisherman tribe, who lived in floating houses. He's a handsome young man with white hair and dark eyebrows, and his wife is just as stunning, as you can see in the screenshot below.
The Heart of Parm 2022 movie reviewsI won't go into detail about the other characters - that would make this review way too long. But I will say that I generally enjoyed the movie - it was entertaining, and the production team didn't skimp on budget, resulting in a decent film.
I'm not sure I'd watch it again, though. I did rewatch 'Skythian', which also takes you back to ancient Slavic times. To be honest, there was something off about the dubbing at times - sometimes they'd use old Slavic words, but it was either too fast or just not clear what they were saying. We even had to rewind a few times at the start to figure out what was going on. Luckily, my husband dug into the settings and found a way to make the audio clearer.
Final Verdict
I'd recommend 'Serdec Parma' as an interesting, somewhat fairy-tale-like film with a slightly dragged-out plot. It's worth a watch, especially if you're into fantasy. I don't regret watching it, but I wouldn't watch it again anytime soon. Overall, I think it's a good choice.
Thanks for reading my review! If you liked it, give it a like and leave a comment!
Enjoy your watch!
Check out my reviews of other movies:
Skythian (2018, film)
The Cut (2018, film)
Summer with the Sun, Sea, and Ivanushki (2024, film)
Ex-Wife (2024, film)
Wishing you all the best!
live_helpFeatured FAQ
What is the film 'Heart of the Pair' about?
The film 'Heart of the Pair' is a drama-fantasy film that tells the story of a young woman who falls in love with a man from a different world. As their love grows stronger, they must navigate the challenges of their different worlds and the danger that comes with their love.
Is the film 'Heart of the Pair' historically accurate?
Unfortunately, the film 'Heart of the Pair' is not historically accurate, with some events and characters being fictionalized or altered for dramatic effect.
What kind of scenery can I expect to see in the film 'Heart of the Pair'?
The film 'Heart of the Pair' features stunning natural scenery, including breathtaking views of the Perm Krai region and the Russian countryside.
Is the film 'Heart of the Pair' suitable for all ages?
No, the film 'Heart of the Pair' is not suitable for all ages due to its mature themes, violence, and some explicit content.
Can I expect a happy ending in the film 'Heart of the Pair'?
Unfortunately, the film 'Heart of the Pair' does not have a happy ending, with some viewers finding the conclusion to be unsatisfying and frustrating.
Is the film 'Heart of the Pair' worth watching?
Whether or not the film 'Heart of the Pair' is worth watching depends on your personal preferences and interests. If you're a fan of Russian cinema and are looking for a visually stunning film with a unique storyline, then 'Heart of the Pair' may be worth checking out.
Can I watch the film 'Heart of the Pair' on streaming services?
Unfortunately, the film 'Heart of the Pair' is not currently available on any streaming services, but it may be available to rent or purchase on platforms like Amazon or Google Play.
What are the film's technical specifications?
The film 'Heart of the Pair' was shot in 4K resolution with a range of cameras and lenses. The film's sound design is also impressive, with a range of sound effects and a haunting soundtrack.
check_circlePros
- •The film's stunning natural scenery is a must-see, with breathtaking views of the Perm Krai region.
- •The costumes are beautifully designed and add to the film's overall aesthetic.
- •The cinematography is top-notch, with stunning shots of the Russian countryside.
- •The music is hauntingly beautiful and perfectly complements the film's dramatic storyline.
- •The film's themes of love and sacrifice are timeless and universal.
- •The film's use of lighting is impressive, with a range of moods and atmospheres that add to the overall tension.
- •The film's visuals are stunning, with a range of colors and textures that bring the Russian countryside to life.
- •The film's sound design is impressive, with a range of sound effects and a haunting soundtrack.
cancelCons
- •The film's dragged-out pace makes it a tough watch, with long stretches of slow-moving scenes.
- •The storyline is confusing and lacks historical accuracy, which can be frustrating for viewers.
- •Some of the characters feel underdeveloped and lack depth, making it hard to connect with them.
- •The film's themes of love and sacrifice are heavy-handed and feel overly sentimental at times.
- •The film's use of special effects is subpar, with some obvious CGI moments that detract from the overall experience.
- •The film's ending feels rushed and unsatisfying, leaving viewers feeling frustrated and disappointed.
- •The film's characters are not well-developed, making it hard to become invested in their stories.
- •The film's pacing is uneven, with some scenes feeling rushed and others feeling slow.
