This movie, about Soviet authorities who hunt for a serial killer who picks his victims in railway stations and commuter trains and lures them into the woods, is a good crime movie!
It started a little off, I think, because it felt amateurish, especially in terms of its technical aspects, except from the beautiful score. It was pretty slow at times as well, and I missed some sort of intensity. There was also a couple of times I wish the movie rather chose to show us certain elements than to tell us about them, which is kind of an amateur's mistake. I also wish the murders were more intense. The bodies of the children were obviously tough to watch, but I also expected a more terrifying and emotional interaction between the killer and his victims. We got a taste of his psychology in the third act, but the story would be even better and more engaging if we got a good portion of that earlier. Sometimes it's better to know the antagonist, and not only the protagonist.
However, despite the average technical aspects, the slowness and the other mentioned elements, the storyline got increasingly more interesting. I didn't feel any connection to Lt. Viktor Burakov at first because I didn't really think Stephen Rae (as Lt. Viktor Burakov) gave the best performance, but by some reason I started to understand this man and I cheered for him. He had so much pressure and the investigation was too for much for him. My favorite parts were the general cooperation and friendship between Lt. Burakov and Col. Mikhail Fetisov, if I can call them that, and also the confession sequence with Dr. Alexandr Bukhanovsky and the killer Andrei Chikatilo, which was really intense because of its psychology. That confession sequence really spiced up the ending, I think.
Overall, this a good crime movie with an increasingly interesting storyline. Despite its average technical aspects, slowness, and some other flaws, the movie is engaging and thought-provoking. The confession sequence at the end is particularly intense and suspenseful, and it provides a glimpse into the psychology of the killer. While the movie could have been improved in some areas, it is still a worthwhile watch for fans of crime thrillers.
It started a little off, I think, because it felt amateurish, especially in terms of its technical aspects, except from the beautiful score. It was pretty slow at times as well, and I missed some sort of intensity. There was also a couple of times I wish the movie rather chose to show us certain elements than to tell us about them, which is kind of an amateur's mistake. I also wish the murders were more intense. The bodies of the children were obviously tough to watch, but I also expected a more terrifying and emotional interaction between the killer and his victims. We got a taste of his psychology in the third act, but the story would be even better and more engaging if we got a good portion of that earlier. Sometimes it's better to know the antagonist, and not only the protagonist.
However, despite the average technical aspects, the slowness and the other mentioned elements, the storyline got increasingly more interesting. I didn't feel any connection to Lt. Viktor Burakov at first because I didn't really think Stephen Rae (as Lt. Viktor Burakov) gave the best performance, but by some reason I started to understand this man and I cheered for him. He had so much pressure and the investigation was too for much for him. My favorite parts were the general cooperation and friendship between Lt. Burakov and Col. Mikhail Fetisov, if I can call them that, and also the confession sequence with Dr. Alexandr Bukhanovsky and the killer Andrei Chikatilo, which was really intense because of its psychology. That confession sequence really spiced up the ending, I think.
Overall, this a good crime movie with an increasingly interesting storyline. Despite its average technical aspects, slowness, and some other flaws, the movie is engaging and thought-provoking. The confession sequence at the end is particularly intense and suspenseful, and it provides a glimpse into the psychology of the killer. While the movie could have been improved in some areas, it is still a worthwhile watch for fans of crime thrillers.