Ridley Scott Produced Film “CHILD 44” Opens April 29 at Ayala Malls Cinemas
From blockbuster and acclaimed filmmaker Ridley Scott
comes a chilling action drama “Child 44” based on Tom Rob Smith’s best-selling
novel of the same titled starred in by Hollywood’s most admired actors headed
by Tom Hardy, Gary Oldman, Noomi Rapace, Vincent Cassel, Joel Kinnaman and
Jason Clarke about an unlikely hero amidst desperate times.
Orphan-turned-war-hero
Leo Demidov (Hardy) has risen through the ranks of the MGB, the state’s
domestic security apparatus, to become a star investigator of dissident
activity. When he and sadistic colleague Vasil (Kinnaman) capture suspected spy
Anatoly Tarasovich Brodsky (Clarke), the “traitor” names Leo’s own wife,
beautiful schoolteacher Raisa (Rapace), as a co-conspirator.
Forced
to investigate Raisa on suspicion of treason, Leo also takes on the case of a
boy found carved up alongside railroad tracks. Despite evidence to the
contrary, Leo describes the death as an accident to the boy’s father, MGB Agent
Alexei Andreyev (Fares Fares) because Stalinist decree dictates, “There is no
crime in Paradise.”
When
Leo refuses to denounce his wife, MGB Commander Major Kuzmin (Vincent Cassel)
exiles the couple to the grim industrial city of Volsk. Confined to a one-room
hovel and stripped of rank, Leo and Raisa learn that dozens of other dead boys
have suffered gruesome “accidents” near railroad tracks under almost identical
circumstances as Alexei’s son. Teaming with local Police Chief General Nesterov
(Oldman), they sneak back to Moscow and pursue clues before zeroing in on
mild-mannered factory worker Vladimir Malevich (Paddy Considine).
Desperate
to rein in his former colleague, the increasingly psychotic Vasili tries to
stop Leo and Raisa before they catch the child murderer, who has no place in
Stalin’s supposedly crime-free Communist society. In the end, only one man
survives the spectacular forest showdown between hero, pedophile and
bureaucrat. But despite the victims and the damage done, the Soviet State
remains immune to Leo’s inconvenient truths.
The
author’s fans include Oscar®-winning filmmaker Ridley Scott. Galvanized by
Child 44’s rich characterizations and epic scope, Scott arranged nine years ago
to meet the novelist at his London production headquarters. “It was slightly
surreal,” recalls Smith. “I’d gone from having this project I thought might not
even get published to talking to Ridley Scott in his office sitting next to a
Gladiator sword and a prop from Alien. Ridley was full of incredible ideas for
the project.”
Scott
initially intended to direct Child 44 himself. Then he saw Swedish director
Daniel Espinosa’s 2010 crime thriller Snabba Cash (aka Easy Money). The
highest-grossing movie in Swedish history, Snabba Cash showcased Espinosa’s
inventively staged action sequences and stylish editing. In Child 44, Espinosa saw an opportunity to
blend visceral action sequences with psychologically nuanced character arcs against
a rich historic tapestry, thus a thrilling and engaging masterpiece was
produced.
“Child
44” opens April 29 exclusive at Ayala Malls Cinemas nationwide. Log on to www.sureseats.com
for schedule .
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