Review: Black Lightning (or, Chernaya Molniya)

[feliciakw]

Just got done watching an action/adventure/"superhero" movie called (in English) Black Lightning. It's a really fun little movie (eh, not so "little" in the FX department, really) about a college student, Dima (which I think is short for Dmitry), whose father gives him a car for his birthday. The car in question, however, appears to be an old, beat up jalopy, a black 1966 Volga. (George's and my first reaction to the car was, "That's a really cool car." "I'd take one of those in a heartbeat," Geo said. "Needs some work," I added, when the glove compartment wouldn't stay shut.)

As it turns out, this car was part of a research project years earlier (that part is at the beginning of the movie, but I hadn't settled in yet) for an invention called a nanocatalyst. Basically, a super-powered power source that fits in your hand. (Think: flux capacitor.) As a result, the car flies.

Well, Dima, in his young, college-aged hubris decides to ignore his father's example of helping people in need to follow the advice of a guest lecturer which amounts to "Look out for Number One." And through this hubris, Dima unknowingly refuses to call for medical help when his father (unbeknownst to Dima) is attacked by a mugger and knifed.

When Dima discovers what has happened, he starts using his car as a vehicle (no pun intended) to help people, fight crime, etc.

There's a plot about the baddie wanting the flux capacitor nanocatalyst to power a giant drill so he can drill thorough the foundation of Moscow to get to the diamonds underneath. And there's the love story of the girl Dima is in love with, who doesn't know that he's really Black Lightening, etc.

All in all, a really fun movie that George found at one of our thrift shops. Superhero movies aren't really my thing, but I enjoyed this one.

We watched it with subtitles, as we prefer subtitles to dubbing whenever available. (The problem this time around being that these were subtitles for the hearing impaired, so they described the other sounds, too--screaming, music, singing, etc. So that got a little bit annoying. Also, they went really quickly and I didn't always have enough time to read all the dialogue.) And I was somewhat struck by the black hoodie Dima wore when he was out driving being Black Lightning. It reminded me a bit of Arrow's hood on Arrow, but more to the point, he bore a resemblance to Jensen in his Dark Angel days when Alec wore a hoodie.

I thought it was really interesting how it had an American superhero story feel to it, thinking that it was a matter of the two countries using similar formulas for their storytelling. Then when we were watching the extras, the producer made a comment about using an American superhero format to the story. "Huh," I thought. "So they did use the American superhero formula."

Anyway, if you happen to find it, it's a good popcorn movie.

Comments

[izhilzha.livejournal.com]

Aw, this sounds awesome. I'm making a note to put it in our Movie Nite movie bowl (if/when that ever gets going again).

Thanks so much for the rec!

[leelust.livejournal.com]

Haha, interesting that you watched it and i didn't cause here it had not so good reviews. But i'm glad you liked it.
2 moments. 1) not Dimitry, Dmitry and 2) i wouldn't think you'd enjoy Volga (esp that old) all that much being inside :) It's rougher than US cars and if the road is bad you feel every pit in it.