Major Grom: Plague Doctor

The Russians are already making it clear that they are full-fledged competitors to Hollywood, and Mayor Grom is truly a comic book smash! Mayor Grom has a touch of The Dark Knight, Robin Hood, Sherlock Holmes and Matthew Vaughn's creative camera work! The protagonist is a likable detective who lives in poverty, is not very popular with his colleagues, doesn't take bribes, and is a fair guy for whom the law plays a major role. He is quite similar to Bruce Wayne, he solves everything with intelligence, and the police department and the city resemble Gotham. I loved that they show how the protagonist imagines several possible situations how to solve the case, where he also dies several times during the process. This has a Sherlock feel to it, where he has to solve the best possible equation to succeed, and at times it feels like a time loop movie, which I just love. Everything changes when a villain called the Plague Doctor starts running amok in the city, dressed in a black costume, with flamethrowers and a cool mask, publicly executing corrupt cops, officials and criminals. That's the plot. The whole film has amazing visuals, great CGI, nice locations in St. Petersburg, likeable characters, an engaging plot with some unexpected twists (the reveal of the bad guy and his motive is great), well shot action, the fights are choreographed very well and have the right flair, though I would have liked a bit more of them. It's not R-rated, of course, but that's to be expected. A rather revolutionary film for Russia, which could be a success here too. 8/10. (06/02/2021)

Major Grom: Plague Doctor is a blockbuster in the truest sense — something I haven’t been able to say in a while. Surprisingly, it’s the Russians who pulled it off, delivering a film that’s both stylish and fun, defying the expectations I’ve had about their larger-than-life cinema for years. Sure, the runtime is a bit stretched, but from the opening scene, you know you’re in for a ride. Major Grom is the kind of gritty hero who strikes a classic noir pose, delivers killer one-liners, and throws down in some seriously satisfying fight scenes. And then there’s the villain — a Russian take on Daniel Brühl, who is as infuriating as a good villain’s should be. It’s pure entertainment from start to finish. (08/30/2021)

I expected a more impressive film based on the reviews here, which mostly promised a great experience. On the other hand, considering it's a comic book film from Russia, I’m slightly satisfied. The main hero is quite likable, and he alone might be worth giving the film a chance. I was a bit disappointed that there wasn’t much action; in this regard, it’s quite sparse. As for the supporting characters, none stand out; they all fall into the category of stereotypical roles. The main villain was introduced with flair, but his potential wasn’t fully realized. So, in summary, it’s not a disaster—just a decent film for killing an afternoon with the charismatic Grom in the lead role, but don’t expect much more. For me, it’s 6/10. (07/19/2021)