Films about the Russian mafia in America a few decades ago became very popular in Hollywood. In the USA, films are regularly shot about bad Russians, which threaten the safety of others, and in some cases the whole world. Since the beginning of the 90s, the image of the Russian mafia has undergone a serious transformation, including in the cinema. In the article we will talk about the most famous paintings from this series.
"Eraser"
Mass production of films about the Russian mafia in America began in the mid-90s. Famous directors and actors of the first magnitude were involved in the work.
In 1996, the action movie Chuck Russell "Eraser" with Arnold Schwarzenegger in the title role was released. The future governor of California appears in the image of Federal Marshal John Kruger, who is considered the best specialist witness protection program. His new business is related to the Cyrez company, its employees are suspected of divulging state secrets. Specialists are developing the latest weapons, but the management finds out that one of the employees Lee Cullen contacted the feds, and the head of the company committed suicide.
Kruger comes home to Cullen, where he becomes a victim of an assassination attempt using the very latest gun. It turns out that the main buyer of this miracle rifle is the representative of the Russian mafia Sergei Ivanovich Petrovsky. Our compatriots in overseas films often have the most primitive names.
After some time, the main characters are discovered, during a shootout, federal Marshal Degerin manages to fly away, taking Cullen with him. Friends help Kruger get to the port, where he meets Degerin and arranges a shootout. Arriving at their place, Chef Beller is convinced that Krueger was right, accusing one of his colleagues in uncleanliness. Degerin is being arrested.
In our country, the picture as a whole was received very positively, although the audience noted that it looks like a classic action movie of the 80s. No one saw anything new in it. For many, it was an opportunity to nostalgic for the past.
"Saint"
In subsequent years, the anti-Russian orientation of Hollywood only continued to grow. Films about the Russian mafia in America appeared one after another. In 1997, Phillip Noyce's "Holy" spy action movie was released with Val Kilmer and Elizabeth Shue in the lead roles.
In this film about the Russian mafia in America, the main villain is the Russian nationalist, who, among other things, has a gang of killer thugs and super technologies. With the help of his resources, he not only seizes power, but also manages to destabilize the situation throughout Europe. Moscow is presented in an unflattering light. There is dirt on the streets, creepy characters everywhere.
The protagonist of the action movie "Holy" - the elusive thief Templar, decides on the last mission in his career, so that after him completely leave dishonest fishing. This time he works for the Russian oligarch Ivan Tretyak, who instructs Templar to get the latest technology for producing the cheapest energy on the planet. With its help, he is going to subjugate Russia to himself. According to the plot of the film, our country was left without fuel, residents of megacities go to villages for firewood.
The picture received negative reviews. The audience complained that the plot is too long, the tension in it is not felt at all.
"Arms Baron"
The influence of the Russian mafia in America was clearly shown in Andrew Niccol's dramatic thriller The Armory of the Baron. Here, the main character, Nicolas Cage, plays an arms dealer who, with the connivance of the American government, collaborates with dictators and rebels around the world. It is interesting that several large businessmen are considered prototypes of the character at once, including Semyon Mogilevich, who was considered the “boss of the bosses” of the majority of Russian-Ukrainian criminal groups in the world, and Viktor Bout, who was convicted in America in 2012 for supporting terrorism and the arms trade. The Arms Baron is Bout’s famous nickname, considered one of the largest illegal arms dealers in the world.
This movie about the Russian mafia in America tells the story of Orlov, who is played by Cage, who comes from the former Soviet Union. A native of Odessa becomes one of the largest arms dealers in the world. He begins his career by supplying local criminal gangs with submachine guns, the business is expanding, he is sending large parties to different hot spots in the world.
The brother of the protagonist Vitaly Orlov is played by another Hollywood star - Jared Leto. He helps Yuri in everything, until he dies when selling another batch of deadly goods to African rebels.
Some viewers did not appreciate this film about the Russian mafia in America. The dizzying success of the protagonist seemed too strained and far-fetched. Otherwise, there were no complaints against the militant; critics noted in the reviews that the director Nikkol managed to go beyond the standard militant and raise such acute issues as the world arms trade conducted by major powers, permanent members of the UN Security Council.
The Great Equalizer
The high-profile premiere of 2014 was a film about the Russian mafia in America, in which the protagonist, an elderly retired CIA agent Robert McCall, performed by Denzel Washington, decides to stand up for a little-known girl. It turns out that she works as a prostitute for a group of Russians.
McCall begins to use his own methods of justice, anyone who suffers from corrupt officials or criminal authorities can find help from him. The character of Washington goes to the fight against injustice and crime, in particular, trying to correct the situation when the Russian mafia in America trades naive girls. A real hunt opens for him. He soon learns that under the control of bandits almost the entire city and the police bribed. Billions of dollars in cash transported on ocean tankers pass through their hands.
McCall opens the network in just a few days, starting one after another to exterminate strangers. From Moscow, the Russian mafia in the United States is led by a criminal authority named Pushkevich, he sends several killers to destroy McCall.
Compatriots in this film are easily distinguished by the unthinkable number of rocker and prison tattoos, a characteristic accent. The final battle takes place on the territory of the shopping complex. McCall dealt with all the killers, and then went to Moscow to destroy their leader.
In our country, this American action movie about the Russian mafia was assessed ambiguously. Denzel Washington talent fans were delighted with the outstanding acting. At the same time, the negative image of fellow citizens who subjugated half of America to themselves caused hostility.
Training Day
In the list of films about the Russian mafia in America, it is necessary to mention the criminal thriller Antoine Fukua "Training Day" with Ethan Hawke and Denzel Washington in the lead roles.
The whole picture is dedicated to one day in the life of policeman Jake Hoyt, who works in Los Angeles. Recently, he was transferred to the drug department. On the first day in a new place, he goes out to fight crime, paired with police veteran Alonzo Harris, the latter wants to see what a newcomer is capable of.
They go on a raid on the most dangerous and criminal quarters of the city. It soon turns out that Harris’s life is in jeopardy because of the murder of the Russian, organized by him in Vegas.
The film received rave reviews from viewers and critics, everyone appreciated that the director tried to approach the classic genre of police drama in a new way. Many people liked the film about the Russian mafia in the USA thanks to unexpected plot twists and a sudden ending. The creators manage to keep the viewer in suspense. Everything leads to a dramatic and powerful ending, which you do not often expect to see in action movies.
"Jackal"
Michael Caiton-Jones’s adventurer Jackal begins with the detention of Haji Murat, the younger brother of an influential Russian mafiosi nicknamed Terek. The operation was carried out jointly with the participation of the FBI and the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Authority resisted and was killed. Now Terek wants to avenge his brother. To teach a lesson to the authorities, he hires a mysterious killer nicknamed the Jackal, played by Bruce Willis.
This is becoming known to the American intelligence services, which find out that they are preparing a strike on one of the country's top leaders. Most likely the head of the FBI. At the same time, it is not possible to establish the identity of the Jackal and his signs.
The Americans decide to release the only person in the world who knows him by sight. This is an IRA action movie Declan Malkuin (actor Richard Gere), the offender is ready to cooperate with the authorities in exchange for freedom. In addition, with Jackal, he has personal scores.
The film became a free remake of political detective Frederick Forsythe "Jackal Day". But with him, the picture has practically nothing in common, except for the nickname of the protagonist. Because of this, the director was criticized a lot, since the original plot, which takes place in France during the time of Charles de Gaulle, was much more interesting to most viewers.
Wandering Bullet
The Russian mafia in American films is featured in the 1996 action movie Sidney Fury. At the center of the story is FBI agent Diana Knox performed by Tia Carrere and drug control officer Max Marish (actor Thomas Ian Griffith). They open a hunt for the Russian mafiosi of Livingston, which at the same time obeys Chinese and Italian groups.
Livingston plans to transfer a large amount of cash to accounts in offshore banks. The hero who will carry out the arrest will be able to send the confiscated funds to the needs of his office. Therefore, fierce competition begins between security officials.
In addition, both agents have failed cases, everyone is waiting for them to rehabilitate themselves in their departments. Otherwise, their career can come to an end very quickly.
Suddenly, another interested person appears - the character of Donald Sutherland, who plans to take possession of the money. At first, the trinity acts together, constantly keeping in mind that in the end they will have to "throw" their partners.
In the reviews, viewers and critics emphasize that this film about the Russian mafia in the United States was shot with good humor, but there are plenty of fights with shooting here. Sutherland looks especially attractive and unusual in the atypical role of an eccentric professional killer.
"Maximum risk"
Since the mid-90s, Americans had an idea of the Russian mafia in the United States according to the photo from the posters of the criminal action movie Ringo Lama "Maximum Risk". The stars of that time, Jean-Claude Van Damme and Natasha Henstridge, appear in the lead roles.
The picture tells about the police Alan Moro, who is surprised to find that one of the bandits killed in the shootout looks like him like two drops of water. They just have one face. After this discovery, Alain's mother has to admit that the murdered Mikhail is his twin brother. The boy was left in the hospital many years ago at the insistence of the family, taking only one child to raise.
Moreau decides to find out as much as possible about his dead brother. He goes to New York, where he came from. The closer the policeman is to the purpose of his visit, the more dangerous it becomes for him to survive. He also receives numerous problems and a sexy girlfriend as an “inheritance”. Moreau will have to repeat his brother’s path from France to the United States, constantly tacking between the Russian mafia and the FBI.
The audience praised the work of Ringo Lam for a peculiar attraction and charm, a dynamic that literally does not allow you to tear yourself away from the screen. Actors who played the roles of the main characters look as organically as possible in the confrontation with influential bosses from the criminal world.
This picture can make a lasting impression on the viewer. This is a colorful sight that will give you a whole ocean of emotions and vivid impressions.
Ruslan
In the 2000s, the number of films about the Russian mafia in America decreased significantly. Photos of posters with similar plots began to appear less often, but finally did not go into oblivion. For example, in 2009, director Jeff King directed the action movie Ruslan with Steven Seagal in the title role.
Seagal plays the successful Russian writer Ruslan Drachev, author of crime novels based on real events that took place in his distant past. At the beginning of the picture, he goes to the wedding of his daughter and son of an old friend Michael. They did not see each other for many years, during which time drastic changes took place in their life. Michael became the leader of an influential criminal group. When Ruslan realizes that his family is involved in illegal business, it is too late.
There comes a wedding day, which is overshadowed by a terrible tragedy. A criminal group opposing Mikhail shoots Ruslan's wife and daughter. The wife of the protagonist dies on the spot, and the daughter is in the hospital in extremely serious condition. The character begins to blame himself and his past. He has no choice but to remember who he was many years ago to begin to take revenge. Now the vendetta is turning into a vocation.
Stephen Seagal not only played the main role, but also became the general producer of the picture. Interestingly, the actors use a real Russian mat.
The audience was skeptical about the work. The plot was considered too trivial, but it is not the main one here. The only thing the film is worth watching is for the sake of Seagal himself in prison tattoos, who drinks vodka and constantly swears. Despite the fact that the tape was removed in 2009, it still gives the “cranberries”, which were famous for low-grade American militants of the 80-90s.
In addition to hilarious obscene dialogues that can amuse the domestic audience, some may be attracted by several good action scenes, especially the brutal and severe final duel.
"Three Nines"
John Hillcoat's crime action movie "Three Nines" is one of the last Hollywood paintings that is dedicated to the Russian mafia. In the center of the story are corrupt policemen and a group of criminals who are faced with an insoluble, at first glance, problem. The Russians are blackmailing them, demanding to commit a robbery, which, as it seems, is beyond anyone's power.
The main characters decide to split into two teams in order to nevertheless try to implement a risky plan, since they are not able to refuse mafiosi. One team expects to commit a daring robbery, and at this time, at the other end of the city, the second group plans to kill a policeman. This should distract the main forces of law enforcement, which will be raised by alarm due to the murder of a colleague.
The action movie starred a lot of first-class celebrities. Among them are Casey Affleck, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Aaron Paul, Anthony Mackie, Woody Harrelson.
The audience, although they admitted that the story about dirty cops is not new, but this time he played with new colors. Of course, the original plan immediately fails when the worst human qualities come up - greed, greed and selfishness. At the same time, the film managed to do without sentiment and moralizing, which can be considered a certain kind of merit.