Mortensen, as the real star of the show, can ooze charisma without speaking, and the movie has fun playing with our perception of him. We want to like him, and do, but are scared of the terrible things he's no doubt capable of. The action centerpiece of the movie is a sensational five-minute fight scene in a sauna between a completely naked Nikolai and two armed attackers; Mortensen throws himself into the action recklessly, and Cronenberg films it so that we understand whats happening in all its brutal glory. (Yes, if December Boys ends up being known as The Movie Where Harry Potter Gets Laid, Eastern Promises might get a reputation as The Movie Where We See Aragorn's Balls.)

Many plot twists are in store for us throughout the film, as the dynamics between Nikolai, Anna, Kirill, and Semyon soon come to a head while plenty of unexpected elements are revealed. None of these feel like cheats - there are subtle hints throughout the film that foreshadow what comes next - and the ending follows through to a logical, satisfying conclusion. It's a well-done genre piece elevated by sheer filmmaking skill, and I could easily see a nomination for Mortensen if the holiday movies don't steal this one's thunder.

And they probably won't. See, now that I've talked about how awesome movies are this year, I've probably jinxed all the future releases.

Movie Grade: A-

Synopsis:

The new thriller from director David Cronenberg reteams him with his A History of Violence leading man Viggo Mortensen. The film follows the mysterious and ruthless Nikolai (Mortensen), who is tied to one of London's most notorious organized crime families. His carefully maintained existence is jarred when he crosses paths with Anna (Academy Award nominee Naomi Watts), an innocent midwife trying to right a wrong, who accidentally uncovers potential evidence against the family. Now Nikolai must put into motion a harrowing chain of murder, deceit, and retribution.