Russian Ark (2002)

I'd always thought Russian Ark would be nothing more than a gimmick. It might be interesting to see, but I was sure there would be no substance to it at all, no reason behind filming it all in one single shot other than "because we can". My good pal Luke called it "A masterpiece, and a true work of art." After that, I had no choice but to check it out.

Russian Ark is mostly plotless, it functions more as a dream than a straight narrative tale. In this respect, it succeeds admirably. It's entirely first-person, which helps immerse you in the world. For a film that is so hard to pull off on a technical level, its world is incredibly rich and exquisitely decorated. You really do feel as though you're walking around in whatever time period you're tossed into.

I noticed how much the single-shot gimmick helps the movie's atmosphere. If the film were edited together, it'd be easy to disbelieve the events unfolding. But, the fact that the film never cuts away, never hides anything, you really feel as if what you're watching is the unquestionable truth. This really makes a big impact on the film's dreamlike quality. The sound is amazing, and is a large factor in the allure of Russian Ark. As you drift around the world, the sounds swirl all around you, doors close behind you in the rear surrounds, chatter envelops you. It's one of the most effective uses of 5.1 sound in a long time.

The one, and for the most part only, nitpick I have with the film is the setting. Yes, I understand it's a grand celebration of Russian history and art, but if you're not from Russia, or happen to be an expert on the country itself, most of the events that the film shows will be completely lost on you. As great as a job the film does establishing its trance-like, dreamy atmosphere, not knowing about the events I was watching pulled me out of the film many times. Like I said, the film does such an excellent job at creating its atmosphere, that what this one flaw takes away is minuscule in the grand scheme, but still, it's a flaw nonetheless.

I like the title of the film, or at least my interpretation of it. What is an Ark, Noah's Ark for example? Something that was built in order to preserve the species of Earth in the face of a grand disaster where all else would be lost. In this way, Russian Ark is the exact same way. It's capturing and preserving Russian history, art, literature, and its people so that they're never forgotten.