Uragan: A heavy, moody piece of history

Is it worth your time?

If you like movies that feel like they were shot in a basement with only two lightbulbs, you'll probably dig this. If you need a plot that actually moves from point A to point B without stopping to stare at a brick wall for ten minutes, stay away. It’s definitely for the type of person who buys DVDs at flea markets just for the cover art. 📽️

Honestly, watching Uragan felt a bit like reading a diary that was never meant for me. It’s quiet. Sometimes, it’s too quiet. There’s a scene about halfway through where Pavel Kurzner is just sitting there, looking out a window, and the camera lingers for so long I started checking my own reflection in the screen. It wasn't profound, it was just… long.

The pacing is a total mess, but in a weirdly charming way. It doesn't follow any of the rules you’d expect from a standard drama. Sometimes a character will just walk off-screen and never come back, leaving you to wonder if they just got bored of the movie and decided to go home. I relate to that character.

Odd little details

• The sound design has this persistent hiss, like the ghost of a radio station from 1950.
• Aleksandr Temnov looks like he hasn't slept since the revolution started.
• The coats. Everyone wears these heavy, itchy-looking wool coats that make them look like they're being swallowed by their own clothes.

It reminds me a bit of the suffocating weight you find in The Bridge of Sighs, though this one lacks that specific spark of melodrama. It’s much more grounded, if by grounded you mean "stuck in the mud."

There’s no grand climax here. The movie just kind of runs out of things to say and fades to black, like someone tripped over the power cord. I didn't hate it, but I’m not sure I’d tell a friend to watch it unless they were really, really into historical mood pieces. Sometimes, the movie feels like it’s trying to convince you that this moment matters, even when nothing is happening.

It’s not perfect. It’s barely even polished. But for some reason, I’m still thinking about that one shot of the empty street. That’s probably the best thing I can say about it. 🤷‍♂️