Erämaan turvissa: A bit dusty, but worth a look

Is it worth the watch?

If you like your cinema with a side of historical grit and don't mind black-and-white pacing that takes its sweet time, sure. Go for it. But if you need snappy dialogue or constant action, stay away. This is for people who enjoy looking at old faces and wondering what they were actually thinking during the long, silent shots.

There is this moment in the restaurant—the lighting is so thick it feels like you're breathing in the cigar smoke. The arrest happens so fast it almost felt like a mistake in the editing room. Just one second he’s having a conversation, and the next, he’s being dragged off like he’s made of wet cardboard. Very dramatic.

The whole romance between the officer and Vera feels a bit tacked on, honestly. It’s like the movie realized it needed a heart, so it just glued one onto the side of a political thriller. It’s not exactly Husbands and Wives when it comes to emotional depth, but it gets the job done.

Odd observations:

• The coats. Everyone wears these heavy, oversized coats that make them look like they’re hiding a small village underneath.
• The silence in the Siberian scenes is actually quite heavy. You can almost feel the cold leaking through the screen.
• The way they handle the secret police feels a little like watching a stage play, all dramatic gestures and pointed fingers.

I couldn't help but compare the pacing to Gelöste Ketten. Both films have that same sense of inevitability, like a train that’s already on the tracks and you’re just watching it head toward the cliff. Some might find it boring. I found it weirdly grounding.

There’s a scene where the officer is just staring at a wall for what felt like three minutes. Was he acting? Was he hungry? I have no idea. But it worked. It captured that boredom of despair better than a long monologue ever could.

Don't expect a masterpiece. Expect a movie that looks like it knows what it wants to say, even if it trips over its own feet trying to get there. Sometimes the best movies are the ones that are a little bit broken. 📽️