--- title: "Eastern Promises: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/eastern-promises/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/eastern-promises" critics_score: 71 critics_reviews: 13 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Eastern Promises (2007): what the critics said Critics' score 71 from 13 reviews: 7 positive, 6 mixed, 0 negative. Most critics find Eastern Promises an absorbing, unsettling gangster thriller, with praise concentrated on Viggo Mortensen’s watchful performance and David Cronenberg’s controlled direction. Mortensen’s combination of menace, restraint and humanity draws approval even from reviewers who find the film disappointing. The violence supplies memorable shocks, while the attention to bodies and tattoos gives several critics more to consider than the criminal intrigue alone. The stronger notices also find tenderness and moral unease beneath the brutality. The main disagreement concerns how much Cronenberg brings to a familiar story. Some reviews find the plotting conventional, the dialogue awkward and the supporting characters too dependent on stereotypes. The New York Times sees deliberate pacing and estrangement making the material troubling; The New Yorker finds the atmosphere airless and the violence excessive. The spread runs from enthusiastic praise to substantial reservations, though even the cooler reviews usually identify a performance or sequence worth admiring. ## Slant Magazine — Ed Gonzalez Rating 3.5/4. 5 September 2007. The critic praises Cronenberg's exquisite framing and contemplation of codes of masculine honor as deliciously transgressive, while noting the story is clearer and more straightforward than recent prior works. It singles out the homoerotic tension and bodily focus for praise amid some stereotypical elements. [Read the review](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/eastern-promises/) ## Screen Daily Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 10 September 2007. Festival review. The critic calls it a brutal yet surprisingly tender thriller that Cronenberg makes entirely his own as an auteur, with a taut Hitchcockian narrative, terrific performances and classically controlled direction that should appeal beyond his usual fans. [Read the review](https://www.screendaily.com/eastern-promises/4034470.article) ## The New York Times — A.O. Scott Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 14 September 2007. The critic describes the film as a grim and violent story of London's Russian underworld that Cronenberg turns into something genuinely troubling through his mastery of estrangement, deliberate pacing, and focus on social and ethical implications. [Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/14/movies/14east.html) ## The AV Club — Keith Phipps Rating B. 13 September 2007. The critic finds the film an engaging thriller with cool intensity and memorable shocks and acting turns, but notes it lacks Cronenberg's usual depth and feels unexpectedly bloodless overall, with a strong fight scene standing out. [Read the review](https://www.avclub.com/eastern-promises-1798203062) ## The Independent Fi1m's normalised score 65/100 (inferred from the text). 25 October 2007. The critic finds the film an intriguing but somewhat mechanical gangster noir that feels staid in pacing and direction overall. They single out Viggo Mortensen's watchfully charismatic lead performance as the standout element, along with a couple of daring, memorable set pieces. [Read the review](https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/reviews/eastern-promises-18-397848.html) ## The Guardian — Peter Bradshaw Fi1m's normalised score 60/100 (inferred from the text). 26 October 2007. Cronenberg's tale of Russian gangsters in London lacks the boldness of his best work despite strong performances and intriguing scenes like the bathhouse fight and tattooing ritual. The script feels clunky and inauthentic at times, evoking a feature-length episode of The Bill rather than fully delivering on its potential. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2007/oct/26/davidcronenberg.thriller) ## Time Out — Wally Hammond Rating 3/5. 9 October 2007. The critic finds Cronenberg’s London-set mafia thriller impressive if flawed, with good influences from other directors but missing pure Cronenberg moments until the bathhouse fight scene. Viggo Mortensen’s central performance is singled out as extraordinary. [Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/eastern-promises) ## Empire — Dorian Lynskey Fi1m's normalised score 55/100 (inferred from the text). 28 September 2007. The review calls the film a disappointment after Cronenberg's stronger prior work, describing it as pulpy and implausible despite visceral violence and strong central performance. It singles out the eye-popping bathhouse fight sequence and Mortensen's enigmatic presence for praise amid weaker supporting turns. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/eastern-promises-review/) ## The New Yorker — Anthony Lane Fi1m's normalised score 50/100 (inferred from the text). 10 September 2007. The critic highlights the intense bathhouse fight as an astounding set piece of savagery and vulnerability but faults Cronenberg for excessive violence that spoils the balance and for creating a spooked, airless experience overall. [Read the review](https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2007/09/17/space-cases) ## Evening Standard — Ross McGuinness Rating ********. 10 April 2012. The critic hails the film as gripping and unsettling, praising Mortensen's enigmatic menace and humanity in the lead role above all. They highlight the visceral nude bathhouse fight and the tense baby-in-peril sequence as standout moments. [Read the review](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/dvds-of-the-week-7404252.html) ## IndieWire — Michael Koresky 13 September 2007. The review examines Cronenberg's exploration of outer limits in the gangster genre through the story of a midwife entangled with a Russian mob family. It highlights the film's transgressive elements and performances while noting its place in the director's body of work. [Read the review](https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/culture/review-outer-limits-david-cronenbergs-eastern-promises-73899/) ## The Hollywood Reporter 9 September 2007. Festival review. The critic calls the film ultraviolent, gruesome and riveting, praising Cronenberg and screenwriter Steve Knight for orchestrating an atmosphere of danger and dread in a descent into the Russian mafia underworld in London. It notes that a mood of pervasive malevolence and strong performances make it worth the ride despite stock characters. [Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/eastern-promises-158372/) ## Digital Spy — Ben Rawson-Jones Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 23 October 2007. Eastern Promises is a visceral and cerebral masterpiece that paints a bleak picture of London through the lens of Russian mafia violence and immigrant hardship. It features outstanding performances, particularly from Viggo Mortensen, and masterful direction that makes it possibly the best film of the year. [Read the review](https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a78226/eastern-promises/) ## Den of Geek — Simon Brew Rating 4/5. 24 February 2008. The film is very good and ranks among the strongest of 2007, though not quite matching A History of Violence. Cronenberg excels at telling the story of Russian mafia intrigue in London, with standout performances especially from Viggo Mortensen. [Read the review](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/eastern-promises-blu-ray-review/) ## Paste — Mike Isaac Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 14 September 2007. The critic acknowledges the film's familiar plot turns but praises how the talented cast and crew elevate them. David Cronenberg's somber vision of London and restrained style are highlighted, with Viggo Mortensen singled out for a stirring performance as a conflicted criminal. [Read the review](https://www.pastemagazine.com/movies/viggo-mortensen/eastern-promises) ## Eye for Film — Anton Bitel Fi1m's normalised score 60/100 (inferred from the text). 17 October 2007. The film is a solid but conventional genre thriller that falls short of the more distinctive work expected from Cronenberg. The tattooing sequences stand out as the most compelling element, exploring themes of identity and allegiance through Mortensen's nuanced performance. [Read the review](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/eastern-promises-film-review-by-anton-bitel) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/eastern-promises.md