Shadowboxing (2005 film)
Encyclopedia
Shadowboxing is a 2005 Russian 4-episode Sports drama movie.
The stars of the film include famous Russian actors such as Denis Nikiforov, Elena Panova
, and Andrey Panin, and it was directed by Aleksey Sidorov. The music score was performed by Finnish cello rock
band Apocalyptica
.
The film's sequel, Shadowboxing 2: Revenge, was released in Russia in 2007.
, who has become a contender for the world boxing championship. The whole country knows him and wants him to win. In the beginning of the film, while they are both waiting at a crosswalk for the light to change, Sasha Belov
asks for his autograph for his son Ivan, who is in England
and is learning boxing. Artyom likes his car and Sasha says he will give it to Artyom if he wins the fight. Valiyev, a man well known in both the criminal and business worlds, takes care of Artyom and refuses to accept the fights scenario presented by the opponent's manager, according to which Artyom should lose the first fight, win a return-match; after the third fight both opponents will be famous and TV channels will fight to get permission to show the match. However, Artyom cannot fight because he has eye problems. The doctor does not want to grant him permission to fight, but he asks her very pitifully, and, unable to endure the begging, she gives him the permit.
During the fight in the ring, Aryom receives a severe blow and his vision becomes worse and worse. Soon, he can only guess where his opponent is, and after a short attack exchange, he loses consciousness.
Artem ends up in a hospital; the doctor, who has fallen in love with him, visits him and tells him the diagnosis: Retinal detachment
. At the moment, it is possible to save his sight, she says, but the blindness is going to progress. If it is not cured in three days, it will never be curable. The operation costs $30,000. Artyom does not have this much money, and neither does the doctor. Artyom had been like a son to his benefactor, Valiyev, who has several millions dollars, but Artyom has disappointed him, so he refuses to pay for the operation.
The only thing Artyom can do is to violate the law to save his own sight and his new love, the doctor Victoria. She becomes a witness to a murder of her ex-boyfriend who was a drug dealer and to whom she came to borrow money, so someone is after her in order to arrest her, kill her, and register her death as an accident. A hired killer is also hunting her. She, her teenage communist brother Konstantin (Kostya), and Artyom hide. The police are told to hunt Artyom but they are given no instructions and the policemen do not know why they must watch him.
Artyom, with Kostya's help, prepares to rob a bank belonging to Valiyev. They buy a powerful fire cracker and put it into a beer can. Kostya passes the guard, holding the can and gets stopped. He is told that he may not bring beer into the bank. Konstantin agrees, throws the can into a trash bin and walks away to hide at a corner. Artyom goes into the bank, pulls a debit card from his pocket and feigns trying to get cash from the ATM
. A guard helps him. At that moment, cash messengers arrive. Kostya detonates the firecracker
, and Artyom attacks the guards and the cashiers. When nearly everyone is knocked down, one cashier pulls out his gun. Artyom hears the trigger click and knocks down this cashier too.
One of Artyom's fans arranges for Artyom to have an illegal operation. After the procedure, Artyom's eyes are bandaged. Valiyev's people get him, but Artyom does not know it. They bring him to Valiyev's house and discover his eyes, but Artyom pretends he still cannot see. Valiyev says: "You're not in a hospital." They are going to torture Artyom to learn where the money is, and then continue to torture him until he dies. But Artyom's feigned helplessness stills their suspicions, and they leave the room, leaving only two men there. Artyom asks them to fetch some water for him. One man goes for water. Artyom then calls another man and tells him that he stole more than 2 million dollars, he will not return the money to Valiyev so he wants to tell him (the second guard) where the money is. The guard bends down over his bed, and Artyom suddenly knocks him down. He knocks down the other guard and leaves the house.
During an open air play of Richard III
, a hired killer finds Vika. Artyom gave her a gun before being taken to the operation, so she pulls it out and points it at the killer, but her hands are trembling and she is not able to pull the trigger. Grinning, the killer slowly takes the gun and points it at Vika just as Artyom appears behind his back and hits him.
A bit later Valiyev finds Artyom and shoots him. Artyom is badly wounded, arrested and taken to a hospital. Next day the FSB arrests Valiyev.
After some years have passed, Artyom's term of imprisonment is over. He is let out and is met by Vika and their mutual friends. Suddenly, someone calls one of his friends and asks in English
to call Artyom. Artyom answers. The camera quickly pans from the prison's walls to Las Vegas
. The caller is Larry, his opponent in the fight during which he lost ability to see. He says he knows that Artyom is free and asks him if he wants a rematch. Artem is silent. Larry repeats his question, "I said, how 'bout a rematch?". The camera quickly pans back and shows wild snowy field and far forest. Artyom looks at the field, smiles widely and lowers the phone and the film ends without showing the answer.
The stars of the film include famous Russian actors such as Denis Nikiforov, Elena Panova
Elena Panova
Elena A Panova, often Elena Panova is a professional female bodybuilder from Voronezh, Russia..-Background:Elena graduated from the Voronezh State Technical University with a master degree in Public Relations. She began training to lose weight in 1998. Generally it was step aerobics at that time...
, and Andrey Panin, and it was directed by Aleksey Sidorov. The music score was performed by Finnish cello rock
Cello rock
Cello rock and cello metal are subgenres of rock music and heavy metal characterized by the use of cellos as primary instruments, alongside or in place of more traditional rock instruments such as electric guitars, electric bass guitar, and drum set.Cellos, often in groups of three or more, are...
band Apocalyptica
Apocalyptica
Apocalyptica is a band from Helsinki, Finland, formed in 1993. The band is composed of classically trained cellists Eicca Toppinen, Paavo Lötjönen, and Perttu Kivilaakso and drummer Mikko Sirén...
.
The film's sequel, Shadowboxing 2: Revenge, was released in Russia in 2007.
Plot
Artyom Kolchin, the story's protagonist, is a boxerBoxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
, who has become a contender for the world boxing championship. The whole country knows him and wants him to win. In the beginning of the film, while they are both waiting at a crosswalk for the light to change, Sasha Belov
Brigada
Brigada , also known as Law of the Lawless, is a Russian 15-episode crime miniseries that debuted in 2002. It became very popular, but received mixed reviews due to accusations in aestheticization of violence. The miniseries follows the story of four best friends from 1989 to 2000, mainly...
asks for his autograph for his son Ivan, who is in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and is learning boxing. Artyom likes his car and Sasha says he will give it to Artyom if he wins the fight. Valiyev, a man well known in both the criminal and business worlds, takes care of Artyom and refuses to accept the fights scenario presented by the opponent's manager, according to which Artyom should lose the first fight, win a return-match; after the third fight both opponents will be famous and TV channels will fight to get permission to show the match. However, Artyom cannot fight because he has eye problems. The doctor does not want to grant him permission to fight, but he asks her very pitifully, and, unable to endure the begging, she gives him the permit.
During the fight in the ring, Aryom receives a severe blow and his vision becomes worse and worse. Soon, he can only guess where his opponent is, and after a short attack exchange, he loses consciousness.
Artem ends up in a hospital; the doctor, who has fallen in love with him, visits him and tells him the diagnosis: Retinal detachment
Retinal detachment
Retinal detachment is a disorder of the eye in which the retina peels away from its underlying layer of support tissue. Initial detachment may be localized, but without rapid treatment the entire retina may detach, leading to vision loss and blindness. It is a medical emergency.The retina is a...
. At the moment, it is possible to save his sight, she says, but the blindness is going to progress. If it is not cured in three days, it will never be curable. The operation costs $30,000. Artyom does not have this much money, and neither does the doctor. Artyom had been like a son to his benefactor, Valiyev, who has several millions dollars, but Artyom has disappointed him, so he refuses to pay for the operation.
The only thing Artyom can do is to violate the law to save his own sight and his new love, the doctor Victoria. She becomes a witness to a murder of her ex-boyfriend who was a drug dealer and to whom she came to borrow money, so someone is after her in order to arrest her, kill her, and register her death as an accident. A hired killer is also hunting her. She, her teenage communist brother Konstantin (Kostya), and Artyom hide. The police are told to hunt Artyom but they are given no instructions and the policemen do not know why they must watch him.
Artyom, with Kostya's help, prepares to rob a bank belonging to Valiyev. They buy a powerful fire cracker and put it into a beer can. Kostya passes the guard, holding the can and gets stopped. He is told that he may not bring beer into the bank. Konstantin agrees, throws the can into a trash bin and walks away to hide at a corner. Artyom goes into the bank, pulls a debit card from his pocket and feigns trying to get cash from the ATM
Automated teller machine
An automated teller machine or automatic teller machine, also known as a Cashpoint , cash machine or sometimes a hole in the wall in British English, is a computerised telecommunications device that provides the clients of a financial institution with access to financial transactions in a public...
. A guard helps him. At that moment, cash messengers arrive. Kostya detonates the firecracker
Firecracker
A firecracker is a small explosive device primarily designed to produce a large amount of noise, especially in the form of a loud bang; any visual effect is incidental to this goal. They have fuses, and are wrapped in a heavy paper casing to contain the explosive compound...
, and Artyom attacks the guards and the cashiers. When nearly everyone is knocked down, one cashier pulls out his gun. Artyom hears the trigger click and knocks down this cashier too.
One of Artyom's fans arranges for Artyom to have an illegal operation. After the procedure, Artyom's eyes are bandaged. Valiyev's people get him, but Artyom does not know it. They bring him to Valiyev's house and discover his eyes, but Artyom pretends he still cannot see. Valiyev says: "You're not in a hospital." They are going to torture Artyom to learn where the money is, and then continue to torture him until he dies. But Artyom's feigned helplessness stills their suspicions, and they leave the room, leaving only two men there. Artyom asks them to fetch some water for him. One man goes for water. Artyom then calls another man and tells him that he stole more than 2 million dollars, he will not return the money to Valiyev so he wants to tell him (the second guard) where the money is. The guard bends down over his bed, and Artyom suddenly knocks him down. He knocks down the other guard and leaves the house.
During an open air play of Richard III
Richard III (play)
Richard III is a history play by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written in approximately 1591. It depicts the Machiavellian rise to power and subsequent short reign of Richard III of England. The play is grouped among the histories in the First Folio and is most often classified...
, a hired killer finds Vika. Artyom gave her a gun before being taken to the operation, so she pulls it out and points it at the killer, but her hands are trembling and she is not able to pull the trigger. Grinning, the killer slowly takes the gun and points it at Vika just as Artyom appears behind his back and hits him.
A bit later Valiyev finds Artyom and shoots him. Artyom is badly wounded, arrested and taken to a hospital. Next day the FSB arrests Valiyev.
After some years have passed, Artyom's term of imprisonment is over. He is let out and is met by Vika and their mutual friends. Suddenly, someone calls one of his friends and asks in English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
to call Artyom. Artyom answers. The camera quickly pans from the prison's walls to Las Vegas
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
. The caller is Larry, his opponent in the fight during which he lost ability to see. He says he knows that Artyom is free and asks him if he wants a rematch. Artem is silent. Larry repeats his question, "I said, how 'bout a rematch?". The camera quickly pans back and shows wild snowy field and far forest. Artyom looks at the field, smiles widely and lowers the phone and the film ends without showing the answer.
Cast
- Denis Nikiforov as Artem Kolchin
- Yelena PanovaYelena PanovaYelena Viktorovna Panova also Elena Panova is a Russian actress from Arkhangelsk. A noted stage actress at the Moscow Art Theater, she has been active in film and television since 1997...
as Vika - Andrey Panin as Valiyev
- John AmosJohn AmosJohn Amos is an American actor and former football player. His television work includes roles in The Mary Tyler Moore Show, Good Times, the miniseries Roots, and a recurring role in The West Wing. He has also appeared on Broadway and in numerous motion pictures in a career that spans four decades...
as Hill - Pavel DerevyankoPavel DerevyankoPavel Yurievich Derevyanko was born in the city of Taganrog, studied in Kiev, moved to Moscow where he entered Russian Academy of Theatre Arts.-Theatre roles:* «Затоваренная бочкотара» — Volodya Teleskopov...
as Timokha - Dmitryi Shevchenko as Nechayev
External links
Kino-teatr.ru- Trailer and Screenshots