Paragraf 78 (2007)

User Rating:

5.2/10   

Director:

Mikhail Khleborodov

Writers:

Mikhail Khleborodov (screenplay)
Ivan Okhlobystin (novel)

Release Date:

22 February 2007 (Russia)

Genre:

Action | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Tagline:

Paragraph 78: The Die is Cast.

Plot Keywords:

Based On Novel | Number In Title

Cast

Yuriy Kutsenko	...	Gudvin (as Gosha Kutsenko)
Vladimir Vdovichenkov	...	Skif
Anastasiya Slanevskaya	...	Lisa
Grigoriy Siyatvinda	...	Festival
Anatoliy Belyy	...	Spam
Stanislav Duzhnikov	...	Lyuba
Aziz Beyshenaliev	...	Pay
Yusup Bakhshiev	...	Doktor
Aleksandr Tyutin	...	General
Aleksey Malashkin	...	Stantsionnyy doktor
Marina Bakhshieva	...	Marta
Mikhail Efremov	...	Nachalnik tyurmy
Aleksey Ogurtsov	...	Nachalnik okhrany
Timofey Bayer	...	Glaz
Sergey Shakurov	...	Chlen voennogo tribunala

Also Known As:

Параграф 78 (Russia)
Paragraph 78 (International: English title)

Runtime:

Greece:95 min

Country:

Russia

Language:

Russian

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Singapore:NC-16

Filming Locations:

Kaliningrad, Russia

Company:

MB Productions

Trivia:

The decision to split film in two parts was panned by Russian critics as "an attempt to sell one movie for the price of two" and caused an uproar among the audience. As a result Mikhail Khleborodov promised to release an initial single-film "director's cut" on DVD.

Quotes:

Doctor on station: Do you know what a virus is?
Lab girl: A virus?
Doctor on station: Well, yes. A virus.
Lab girl: It's a form of life.
Doctor on station: No.
Lab girl: Then what?
Doctor on station: It's a form of death.
Lab girl: That's not funny.

Movie Connections:

Followed by Paragraf 78 - Film vtoroy (2007)

Not as good as I have expected

The two major disappointments when I finished watching this movie in the theater, was the plot background and the fact that it is split in two parts. Well, I understand the marketing principles and why not intrigue viewers enough to encourage them to go to the second part, but to me, it is a bit unfair. Like you go in the restaurant only to find an appetizer and to be told that other dishes will be available few days later.

The plot background is far worse than just non-original. A secret underground lab, a disaster in the form of deadly virus turning everyone there into zombies (if not killing), a group of highly professional SWAT-like heroes sent to investigate, an unwelcome member of the group, behaving strangely and suspicious, a female member who does not have any femininity at all, etc -- all possible clichés of that genre are undoubtedly here. Too strong resemblance to both of "Resident Evil"s, strong resemblance to "Doom", "Phantom Force", "Dragon Fighter", "Alien 2" isn't just annoying, but you can actually predict what would happen in next few minutes.

The special effects is nothing special. In 21st century, it's unlikely to impress viewers with the zombie jumping on walls like Spiderman; the only hope that this hole will be filled with the second part of the movie.

The bright side is a character personalities and a lots of humor, somewhat specific to the ex-USSR reality; like the military facility operator surfing the Internet in MSIE right on the control board of high-tech military radar or something; like digging the rare metals out of outdated electronic equipment in the middle of the mission, etc. Not only almost all characters try to mock and sometimes annoy each other with every single sentence, they actually succeed, and a classic love triangle helps a lot.

I'll give this movie 3 out of 10 for characters and humor, hoping that the rest of "what I think should be in the good movie" will be included in the second part.