Moscow Zero (2006)

What a freaking movie. So many twists and turns. Absolutely intense from start to finish.

This movie feels like it was made purely to piss off people who want good shows

The story, direction, characters, and writing/dialogue is akin to taking a tranquilizer shot to the neck, but everything else was so well done.

There's a more than satisfactory amount of boom-boom in the movie's trim running time.

This is not your typical horror story. If you're looking for monsters, action, blood & guts, look elsewhere. This film spends the first half setting a dark, twisted, claustrophobic mood, and only toward the end does the mystery reveal itself--and even so, it's so cryptic that you may miss it entirely.Who are the demons? That is the question you should keep in mind while watching the movie. If it ends without you knowing (or saying to yourself, 'I guess they're just a bunch of shadowy monsters from Hell') then try watching it a 2nd time. Clues are dropped along the way, and it's up to you to piece it together. What I really liked was the way the director doesn't bash you over the head with a "surprise ending" but instead you just sort of figure it out at your own pace. The answer is the payoff and ultimately what makes it such a brilliantly written story.As much as I'd love to devote my entire review to that answer and all the compelling metaphorical statements it makes on a deeper level, I really can't say anything more without ruining it. Just bear in mind that things are often upside-down from what one might expect, and the identity of the demons is entirely based on perspective.I thought the setting was perfect. Aside from some marvelous shots of the Russian Capital, the entire film is shot in the narrow tunnels of the underground catacombs (which I think are in Seville, Spain). The setting never changes, and much like the great war classic "Das Boot" (set in a submarine), it gives the feeling of suffocation and despair. Just as a sidenote, the end credits pay tribute to a crew member who apparently died there during filming, so I guess it was the real deal.I don't usually watch horror flicks. I picked this because I saw Vincent Gallo was in it and also that many IMDb reviewers complained about it being "boring" (which, 9 times out of 10, just means that it's an intelligent story). I was not disappointed one bit. The cinematography & directing is captivating. What the film lacks in blood & guts is amply compensated for in mood & artistry. It reminds me of a classic ghost story you might hear around a campfire except, as I said above, it's a challenge to figure out. If you like horror films that work your brain like "Ghost Story" (1981), "The Others" (2001) and my fave "Exorcist III" (1990), give it a shot.

Whose sick and vacant mind produced this "picture" and what on earth possessed some rather good actors to take part in this project I shall never know. If you do not want to seriously regret wasting 1.5 hours of your time (which feel like eternity), then watch this film. Nothing happens. NOTHING. AT ALL. AT ANY POINT. Watching paint dry is a hundred times more interesting. There is no plot, there is no action, the characters are ridiculous, you just watch strange people running from one cave to another in total darkness and hear some echoes in the background, but even that sounds more interesting than actually watching it. Zero is what this film is. Awful.

I think this film is a bit under-rated(3.4) Well, first the upsides: The plot is quite good. There is a sad and chilling main story behind, that is genuinely impressive. There is a certain atmosphere mainly depending on the space. It is suffocating and has a morbid effect on the viewer. The children's discretion adds up to the dark aura of the film. This is not the kind of film for an average viewer with an expectation to be entertained; you must have some patience to get some taste. I think it is not a typical thriller/horror film with cliché Hollywood scenes. It feels kind of experimental and some credit must be given for that.The downsides are many: this is also not the kind of movie that can satisfy any good viewer (sorry to say). Despite the toil of all the cast and crew, the result is not bright: -There is a great cast but the acting is somehow missed by the camera... -Although I am a huge fan, I am starting to grow an opinion that Val Kilmer doesn't really know how to choose a right project. Not only is he seen only as long as a cameo, his awesomeness is also totally ignored. How and why his group is dwelling there is a boring riddle that I don't want to solve... -Someone must tell Vincent Gallo that despite having a very characteristic face, being expressionless all the time can only be afforded by great and aged actors... -The screenplay is also bad: the dialogues are not integrated, nor able to add up to anything... -Misleading without intention is frequent. A more dedicated director could have made a great film with this story because here, opportunity to boost the mystery is lost while also some explanatory scenes were omitted as well (such as the revolution incidents) -The motive of the children (are they all children?) is also not clear: is it fear or vengeance or protection or punishment??? Also the sadness of the situation could be emphasized someplace. while a simple reflex of grudge must not be an issue here. -Tension and relief is a chemical must for such movies even for a marginal example. Here both the dialogues+acting and the maze shoots are monotonous. -The relationships between the main characters are totally vague and without any depth. - Just a little more effort on the visual effects could have been much useful. And I don't mean expensive CGI, but some some sweat for editing.Last word: This movie is only for freaks like me who love to experiment and review new possibilities in cinema and choose to waste time on it.

I must say the movie is highly under-rated in IMDb. We are not looking here for a typical FBI Thriller or a romantic plot. It is a discovery of a legend by Sergei and this leads to so many discoveries. Although the movie is mostly set in dark and closed alleys, but it was well shot and actually depicts the real feeling as if you are inside that place as defined in the plot.It is a 'different' kind of a movie and it is actually very nicely done. The story has been treated well.The Sister tried to protect the kids from daemons that lived at higher levels... and I presume all the kids and the sister died of hunger... But what was not clear is why would children (shadows of daemons) kill people who would come down... Well maybe because all of them had to sacrifice their lives and die of hunger.