“Friends in trouble will not leave” - this is the main message of the film “Elusive” directed by Artem Aksenenko. Guided by a duty of friendship, four young people come to grips with the omnipotent oligarch who arranged an accident. His involuntary participant was Nastya, a friend of the main character of the film.
I liked the movie. The creators of the story about elusive friends have earned far from an excellent assessment, but confident “good”. As the main advantages of the tape, I will highlight a gorgeous picture and plot. Filming in Moscow is pleasing with beautiful plans; both historical monuments and modern architecture fall into the frame. The operator’s way of working is somewhat similar to the presentation of material in the music videos of American rap artists. As for the plot, it is really not bad: there are no standard directorial cliches, inappropriate pathos or tortured and unnecessary scenes. However, the compositional advantages of the tape end there. It has a lot of simplifications and assumptions. Viewers have questions caused by the strangeness of what is happening on the screen. Why force the oligarch to pay for the treatment of his girlfriend if friends spend a lot of money and use expensive equipment to get into his apartment? Is it really impossible to help Nastya on her own? Neither the director nor I have the answers to these questions.
By the end of the film, the creators complete the main storyline and leave a reserve for the continuation, which is not only announced but also removed (immediately after completing work on the original Elusive tape, which can be viewed on ) Probably, the developers of the picture are counting on the creation of a youth franchise, like "The Hunger Games" or "The Maze Runner". The audience of the films is the same, but the Russian counterpart is losing the size of the budget and attention to detail. Actors, director, screenwriters and the entire film crew of the adventures of elusive friends have the opportunity to reconsider their approach to work and give a better result.
Should I watch a movie? Yes, if you have a desire to appreciate the product of modern Russian cinema, made with an eye to the best American designs. Do you like the picture? Maybe. But only if you do not begin to look for mistakes and mistakes, but simply immerse yourself in the dynamic adventures of young Muscovites who entered the battle with the "evil" in the face of the oligarch.