Siberia (2018 film)

Last updated

Siberia
SIBERIA Theatrical+Poster.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Matthew Ross
Written by Scott B. Smith
Story byStephen Hamel
Produced by
  • Stephen Hamel
  • Braden Aftergood
  • Gabriela Bacher
  • Dave Hansen
Starring
CinematographyEric Koretz
Edited byLouise Ford
Music by
  • Daniel Bensi
  • Saunder Jurriaans
Production
companies
Distributed by Saban Films
Release date
  • July 13, 2018 (2018-07-13)(United States)
Running time
104 minutes [1] [2]
Countries
  • United States
  • Canada
LanguagesEnglish
Russian
Box office$636,366 [3]

Siberia is a 2018 thriller film directed by Matthew Ross and written by Scott B. Smith from a story by Stephen Hamel. It stars Keanu Reeves, Ana Ularu, Pasha D. Lychnikoff and Molly Ringwald.

Contents

Plot

American diamond merchant Lucas Hill travels to Russia to sell rare blue diamonds to gangster Boris Volkov. However, his contact in St. Petersburg, Pyotr who had the diamonds has gone missing. Boris threatens Lucas to deliver the diamonds in 48 hours.

Following Pyotr's clues, Lucas arrives at a guest house in Mirny, Siberia, a rough mining town. He briefly contacts his wife Gabby through Skype. He goes to a cafe and starts a fight with two drunks who are harassing a cafe owner named Katya, who saves him after they jump him in the parking lot. Later, her brother Ivan suspects her of sleeping with Lucas, so she defiantly asks him to sleep with her.

Lucas meets Pyotr's brother Andrei who tells him that Pyotr sold counterfeit diamonds to a man named Samsonov and hid the real ones. Enraged, Lucas goes back to Katya's home. They start a passionate affair and Lucas lets Katya know that his relationship with his wife is more of a habit than a love story. Lucas goes bear hunting with Ivan and Katya's other brothers, who mock-threaten him. Lucas earns Ivan's respect when Lucas puts Ivan's dog out of its misery after accidentally being shot by Ivan’s brother.

Lucas returns to Pyotr's apartment in St. Petersburg to search again for the diamonds, and finds one hidden in a candle that is real. Remembering a similar candle in the Mirny guest house, he asks Katya to bring it to him, finding another diamond inside, which is a fake. Lucas meets Boris, along with Katya to show the real diamond promising him to return with the rest later. To solidify their deal, Boris demands a ritual of brotherhood where Boris’s woman services Lucas and Lucas' woman (Katya) services Boris. Reluctant at first, Lucas agrees when Boris convinces Katya that refusal of such an offer is deadly, so she tells Lucas to agree.

Returning to his hotel, Lucas is met by FSB agents who arrested Samsonov. They pressure Lucas to sell the fake diamonds to Boris, which Pyotr had sold to Samsonov, and get the money to the agents. In return, they promise him safe passage to home. Lucas and the FSB know that once Boris finds out, he will kill his wife and Katya and Lucas won't be able to hide long. Lucas manages to convince Boris to buy the diamonds and wire the money to the agents' account, but he gets a warning from Boris' henchman Pavel of the consequences if he is betraying him.

Pyotr's brother Andrei tells Lucas where to find Pyotr, hiding in an old farm in Siberia. With help from Katya's brother, Ivan, and with Katya tagging along, Lucas goes there and he and Ivan find Pyotr murdered, leaving no way to retrieve the real diamonds. Lucas tells Ivan to let Katya know that his love for her is real when everything is finished. Lucas promises to meet Katya the next morning, while Ivan lends him his hunting rifle, knowing that there is no other way this could end but violently with Boris's henchmen. Katya and Ivan leave and Lucas burns down the shack where Pyotr's body was found.

Pavel and a few henchmen find Lucas at the farmhouse. Lucas manages to kill some of the henchmen while trying to escape, but he is shot in the back by Pavel and dies.

Cast

Production

In February 2017, it was announced Keanu Reeves had been cast in the film, with Matthew Ross directing from a screenplay by Scott B. Smith. Stephen Hamel, Reeves, and Gabriela Bacher will produce the film under their Company Films, Summerstorm Productions banners respectively. [4] In April 2017, Aleks Paunovic, Pasha D. Lychnikoff, Ana Ularu, and Molly Ringwald joined the cast of the film. [5] [6]

Production began in May 2017. [7] Some scenes have been filmed in Saint Petersburg; Siberian scenes have also been filmed in Manitoba, Canada, including the small towns of Cooks Creek and Marquette. [8] [ better source needed ]

Release

In May 2018, Saban Films acquired distribution rights to the film. [9] It had a limited domestic release in theaters on July 13, 2018, [2] worldwide on July 20, 2018, [3] and on VOD by Lionsgate Home Entertainment on September 18, 2018. [1]

Reception

On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 34 out of 100, based on 15 critics, indicating "generally unfavorable reviews". [10]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Keanu Reeves</span> Canadian actor (born 1964)

Keanu Charles Reeves is a Canadian actor. Born in Beirut and raised in Toronto, he made his acting debut in the Canadian television series Hangin' In (1984), before making his feature film debut in Youngblood (1986). Reeves had his breakthrough role in the science fiction comedy Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure (1989), and he reprised his role in its sequels. He gained praise for playing a hustler in the independent drama My Own Private Idaho (1991) and established himself as an action hero with leading roles in Point Break (1991) and Speed (1994).

<i>Youngblood</i> (1986 film) 1986 film by Peter Markle

Youngblood is a 1986 American sports drama film directed, co-produced, and co-written by Peter Markle, and starring Rob Lowe, Cynthia Gibb and Patrick Swayze. The film's cast also includes Keanu Reeves in his first feature film role.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Keanu Reeves filmography</span>

Keanu Reeves is a Canadian actor who has appeared in films, television series and video games. He made his film debut in the short One Step Away in 1985. The following year, Reeves appeared in the crime film River's Edge, and the television films Babes in Toyland, Act of Vengeance, and Brotherhood of Justice. His first lead role was as a teenager dealing with his best friend's suicide in the 1988 drama Permanent Record. His breakthrough role came when he played time-travelling slacker Ted "Theodore" Logan in the science fiction comedy Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure (1989) with Alex Winter, which was an unexpected commercial success. Reeves followed this with a supporting role in Ron Howard's comedy Parenthood. In 1991 he starred in the action film Point Break with Patrick Swayze, the science fiction comedy sequel Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey, and the independent drama My Own Private Idaho.

<i>War for the Planet of the Apes</i> 2017 film by Matt Reeves

War for the Planet of the Apes is a 2017 American science fiction action film directed by Matt Reeves from a screenplay by Reeves and Mark Bomback, and produced by Peter Chernin, Dylan Clark, Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver. It is the sequel to Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (2014) and the third installment in the Planet of the Apes reboot franchise. It stars Andy Serkis as Caesar, alongside Woody Harrelson and Steve Zahn. In the film, conflict between apes and humans has escalated into full war, and Caesar sets out to avenge those he has lost.

<i>Keanu</i> (film) 2016 film directed by Peter Atencio

Keanu is a 2016 American buddy action comedy film directed by Peter Atencio and written by Jordan Peele and Alex Rubens. The film stars Peele and Keegan-Michael Key in their first film as lead actors following five seasons of their sketch TV series; it also features Tiffany Haddish, Method Man, Nia Long, Will Forte, and Keanu Reeves. The plot follows two cousins who infiltrate a gang in order to retrieve their stolen kitten.

<i>Atomic Blonde</i> 2017 film by David Leitch

Atomic Blonde is a 2017 American action thriller film directed by David Leitch from a screenplay by Kurt Johnstad, based on the 2012 graphic novel The Coldest City by Antony Johnston and Sam Hart. The film stars Charlize Theron, James McAvoy, John Goodman, Til Schweiger, Eddie Marsan, Sofia Boutella, and Toby Jones. The story revolves around a spy who has to find a list of double agents that is being smuggled into the West on the eve of the collapse of the Berlin Wall in 1989.

<i>John Wick: Chapter 2</i> 2017 American film directed by Chad Stahelski

John Wick: Chapter 2 is a 2017 American neo-noir action thriller film directed by Chad Stahelski and written by Derek Kolstad. The film is a sequel to John Wick (2014) and the second installment in the John Wick franchise. It stars Keanu Reeves as the eponymous character, alongside Common, Laurence Fishburne, Riccardo Scamarcio, Ruby Rose, Lance Reddick, Peter Stormare, Bridget Moynahan, Franco Nero, John Leguizamo, and Ian McShane. In the film, retired hitman John Wick is forced back into his old life to fulfill a blood oath to crime lord Santino D'Antonio (Scamarcio).

<i>To the Bone</i> (film) American drama film by Marti Noxon

To the Bone is a 2017 American drama film, written and directed by Marti Noxon. The film follows a young woman, portrayed by Lily Collins, as she battles anorexia. The film premiered in competition at the Sundance Film Festival on January 22, 2017, as a contender in the U.S. Dramatic Competition. It was released worldwide on Netflix on July 14, 2017. Netflix's release of the film was met with controversy, with some arguing that the film glamorises anorexia.

<i>Game Night</i> (film) 2018 film by John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein

Game Night is a 2018 American action comedy film directed by John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein and written by Mark Perez. It stars Jason Bateman and Rachel McAdams and follows a group of friends whose game night turns into a real-life mystery after one of them is kidnapped. The film's supporting cast includes Billy Magnussen, Sharon Horgan, Lamorne Morris, Kylie Bunbury, Jesse Plemons, Michael C. Hall, and Kyle Chandler.

<i>Replicas</i> (film) 2018 film by Jeffrey Nachmanoff

Replicas is a 2018 American science fiction thriller film directed by Jeffrey Nachmanoff, and written by Chad St. John, from a story by Stephen Hamel. The film tells the story of a neuroscientist who violates the law and bioethics to bring his family members back to life after they die in a car accident. It stars Keanu Reeves, Alice Eve and Thomas Middleditch.

John Wick is an American neo-noir action film series and media franchise created by Derek Kolstad. It centers around the titular character, a legendary hitman who is reluctantly drawn back into the criminal underworld after retiring. The franchise began with the release of John Wick in 2014, followed by three sequels: Chapter 2 in 2017, Chapter 3 – Parabellum in 2019, and Chapter 4 in 2023.

<i>The 15:17 to Paris</i> 2018 American biographical drama film

The 15:17 to Paris is a 2018 American biographical drama film produced and directed by Clint Eastwood and written by Dorothy Blyskal, based on the 2016 autobiography The 15:17 to Paris: The True Story of a Terrorist, a Train, and Three American Heroes by Jeffrey E. Stern, Spencer Stone, Anthony Sadler, and Alek Skarlatos. The film stars Stone, Sadler, and Skarlatos as themselves and follows the trio through life leading up to and including their stopping of the 2015 Thalys train attack. Judy Greer and Jenna Fischer also star.

<i>John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum</i> 2019 American film directed by Chad Stahelski

John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum is a 2019 American neo-noir action thriller film directed by Chad Stahelski from a screenplay by Derek Kolstad, Shay Hatten, Chris Collins, and Marc Abrams, based on a story by Kolstad. The film is the sequel to John Wick: Chapter 2 (2017) and the third installment in the John Wick franchise. It stars Keanu Reeves as the eponymous character, alongside an ensemble supporting cast including Halle Berry, Laurence Fishburne, Mark Dacascos, Asia Kate Dillon, Lance Reddick, Anjelica Huston, and Ian McShane. The film centers on John Wick going on the run from a legion of hitmen after a bounty is placed for his murder.

<i>Yolki 2</i> 2011 Russian film

Yolki 2, is 2011 Russian New Year comedy film directed by Dmitry Kiselyov and written by Timur Bekmambetov. The main roles are played by Ivan Urgant, Sergey Svetlakov, Alexey Petrenko and Timur Ortsuev. The film is a continuation of the New Year's film "Yolki" (2010) directed by Timur Bekmambetov. The phrase "Someone loses, someone finds. Someone leaves, and someone comes”, which the deputy says, was borrowed from the film “Day Watch”, where it is also said by the character of Viktor Verzhbitsky - Zabulon.

<i>Yolki 1914</i> 2014 Russian film

Yolki 1914, is a 2014 Russian comedy film. It is a prequel to the 2013 film Yolki 3. It premiered on December 14, 2014; the film was released on December 25. At the same time as the fourth film in the series, a spin-off, titled Paws, Bones & Rock'n'roll, was released. Starring Ivan Urgant, Sergey Svetlakov, Maria Poroshina, Viktor Verzhbitsky, Arthur Smolyaninov, Alexander Golovin, Alexander Domogarov Jr. The film tells the story of events in the Russian Empire during the First World War in 1914.

Mattson Tomlin is a filmmaker and writer.

Ballerina is an upcoming American action thriller film directed by Len Wiseman, from a script written by Shay Hatten, Michael Finch, and Emerald Fennell, based on an original story by Hatten. It is the first spin-off, and fifth installment overall in the John Wick franchise. It is set between the events of John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum (2019) and John Wick: Chapter 4 (2023). It stars Ana de Armas, Anjelica Huston, Gabriel Byrne, Lance Reddick, Catalina Sandino Moreno, Norman Reedus, Ian McShane, and Keanu Reeves. In the film, ballerina-assassin Rooney (Armas) hunts those who killed her family. This is Reddick's final screen role, which will be released posthumously after his death in 2023.

<i>Fire</i> (2020 film) 2020 Russian disaster film

Fire, also known as No Escapes is a 2020 Russian disaster film directed by Aleksey Nuzhnyy. A heroic story about firefighters and rescuers of the Aerial Forest Protection Service "Avialesookhrana" and the Ministry of Emergency Situations, who resist the merciless elements and turn out to be the only hope of people in trouble. The film includes real footage of terrible forest fires in the Krasnoyarsk Territory.

Hotel Belgrade is a 2020 Russian-Serbian romantic comedy film directed by Konstantin Statsky, a sequel to the television series Hotel Eleon and Grand. It stars Miloš Biković and Diana Pozharskaya.

References

  1. 1 2 "Siberia (2018)". The Numbers. Nash Information Services. Retrieved December 26, 2020.
  2. 1 2 "Siberia (2018)". Rotten Tomatoes . Fandango . Retrieved October 10, 2021.
  3. 1 2 "Siberia (2019)". Box Office Mojo. IMDb . Retrieved December 26, 2020.
  4. ↑ Lodderhose, Diana (February 1, 2017). "Keanu Reeves Heading To 'Siberia' With 'Frank & Lola' Director Matthew Ross – Berlin". Deadline Hollywood . Penske Business Media . Retrieved May 15, 2018.
  5. ↑ N'Duka, Amanda (April 5, 2017). "Aleks Paunovic Books Two Roles; Catherine Siggins Lands 'The Samuel Project'". Deadline Hollywood . Penske Business Media . Retrieved May 15, 2018.
  6. ↑ N'Duka, Amanda (April 27, 2017). "Keanu Reeves Starring Thriller 'Siberia' Rounds Its Cast; Magda Apanowicz To Co-Star In 'Volition'". Deadline Hollywood . Penske Business Media . Retrieved June 13, 2017.
  7. ↑ Garcia, Daniella (May 16, 2017). "Cannes First Look: Keanu Reeves Dives Into Diamond Trade in 'Siberia' (Exclusive Image)". The Hollywood Reporter . Prometheus Global Media . Retrieved May 15, 2018.
  8. ↑ "Siberia (2018): Filming & Production". IMDb . Retrieved July 15, 2018.
  9. ↑ Wiseman, Andreas (May 11, 2018). "Saban Films Snaps Up North American Rights To Keanu Reeves Crime Thriller 'Siberia' – Cannes". Deadline Hollywood . Penske Business Media . Retrieved May 15, 2018.
  10. ↑ "Siberia (2018) Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive . Retrieved December 26, 2020.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.