DIRECTOR: Ikka Järvi-Laturi (Spy Games)
STARS: Ivo Uukkivi, Milena Gulbe, Monika Mäger
SYNOPSIS: Based on the poster art you might think this is a science fiction flick, but it’s actually a straight up heist film. A large shipment of gold bars are being returned to Estonia and an uneasy collection of criminals hatch an elaborate plan to steal them. One key aspect of the plan is to have all the electricity in the city shut off, thereby allowing the crooks to do their work. This plot point gives the film its two most well known titles City Unplugged and Darkness in Tallinn. An electrician is hired to kill the city’s power grid, unaware that he’s working for criminals. When he finds out, he goes into hero mode, trying to mess up the crooks plans and get to a hospital where his pregnant wife is in labor. All the actors are memorable with interesting faces and performances. Most of the criminals are sleazy, desperate, and rotting from the inside. The visuals are great in this one. Crisp black & white photography, mostly at night, with industrial spaces and crumbling streets. Shot on location in Estonia circa 1993, the film zips around to countless places new to Western eyes. It reminded me a bit of how Lars Von Trier’s Element of Crime looks. Fast moving with plenty of black humor too. Highly recommended and better than you might expect. In Estonian language with English subtitles. WIDESCREEN.
Widescreen / Color
Region Free / Code Free DVD-R
DIRECTOR: Ikka Järvi-Laturi (Spy Games)
STARS: Ivo Uukkivi, Milena Gulbe, Monika Mäger
SYNOPSIS: Based on the poster art you might think this is a science fiction flick, but it’s actually a straight up heist film. A large shipment of gold bars are being returned to Estonia and an uneasy collection of criminals hatch an elaborate plan to steal them. One key aspect of the plan is to have all the electricity in the city shut off, thereby allowing the crooks to do their work. This plot point gives the film its two most well known titles City Unplugged and Darkness in Tallinn. An electrician is hired to kill the city’s power grid, unaware that he’s working for criminals. When he finds out, he goes into hero mode, trying to mess up the crooks plans and get to a hospital where his pregnant wife is in labor. All the actors are memorable with interesting faces and performances. Most of the criminals are sleazy, desperate, and rotting from the inside. The visuals are great in this one. Crisp black & white photography, mostly at night, with industrial spaces and crumbling streets. Shot on location in Estonia circa 1993, the film zips around to countless places new to Western eyes. It reminded me a bit of how Lars Von Trier’s Element of Crime looks. Fast moving with plenty of black humor too. Highly recommended and better than you might expect. In Estonian language with English subtitles. WIDESCREEN.
Widescreen / Color
Region Free / Code Free DVD-R
