It is a brilliant movie indeed, and I would strongly advise American audience NOT to see it, since the well-known action movie standards do not apply here. Dear American friends who left some comments here: European cinema, including Soviet and Russian of course, is a special case, the major focus is NOT on the quality of special effects. It has never been like that and never will be. In this movie good drama, showing complicated lives of each character, is perfectly combined with action. And there is definetely no need to compare it with american-style productions! Embarrassing comments I saw here indeed -- well, what else one could expect here from that part of the world !