In Russian director Kirill Sokolov’s frantic, darkly comedic debut feature, subtlety is not the name of the game. We are thrown into the deep end from the first moments of the film as twentysomething Matvei (Aleksandr Kuznetsov) arrives at the apartment of a Moscow family with a hammer in tow and murder on his mind. His target is a brutish detective named Andrei (Vitaliy Khaev), who just so happens to be the father of his girlfriend Olya (Evgeniya Kregzhde). We do not know exactly what has transpired to bring Matvei to this point, but we do understand that his intent is very real. As he psyches himself up for the deed, his plan quickly begins to unravel due to unforeseen interference. After a knowing, tension-filled conversation between the two over tea, the film erupts in its first sequence of violence that is so delightfully indulgent that you will find yourself cackling and shouting expletives at the screen from the brutality. It’s a hell of a way to start a film, and it never really lets up for the remainder of the runtime.
Fans of Quentin Tarantino will find a lot to enjoy here due to some stylistic similarities that appear in this film. As we just begin to process the carnage we have witnessed, we flash back to a conversation between Matvei and Olya in which she asks him to take out her father. Turns out, dear old dad was something of an abusive figure in her early childhood, and she has been haunted by the memories ever since. Sokolov toggles back and forth from the present day insanity that involves shotguns, drills, weaponized televisions, handcuffs and more, to flashbacks that flesh out the backstory of notable figures within the plot. The story may seem straightforward, but you learn that everything may not be as it seems with each new piece of the puzzle. In addition to our three known figures, we also get to engage in the exploits of Andrei’s wife Tasha (Elena Shevchenko) and police partner Evgenie (Mikhail Gorevoy). This a tale filled with morally bankrupt individuals that have to confront the consequences of years of corruption.
The film is briskly paced at just over an hour and a half with an economical dispensation of plot. The majority of the picture takes place within a singular apartment, which allows the tension to be dialed up to eleven. New complications are just a knock on the door away from changing everything. Relationships are put to the test as more revelations are revealed until you are left with a supremely dark finale that should leave the most judgmental of audiences members pleased. All of the performers put in outstanding performances even under the direst circumstances. Andrei, in particular, is a character worth delving into as he weighs his greed against what he is risking in the process as a dirty cop. If there is one complaint to be leveled against the film in regards to how they treat their characters, it would be that Tasha does not get a fully fleshed-out flashback like our other characters. She makes her mark within the context of the other character’s stories, but she deserved her own segment to shine.
Why Don’t You Just Die! is a film that revels in excess, like a slightly more grounded Russian cousin to the bonkers world of Shoot ‘Em Up. The film is extremely violent and gory in a way that plays as fun rather than verging into the area of torture porn. Individuals withstand injuries that should logically kill them ten times over, but they just keep on ticking…until they don’t. The movie is colorful and kinetic with stylistic flourishes that enhance the already zany subject matter. On more than one occasion, the film takes a quick detour from the main action to tackle something like demonstrating how to pick a lock or showing how a young Matvei nearly died from the elementary school classic “pass out game.” Add in some x-ray shots of bones breaking and looped in video game sound cues, and you have the perfect cocktail of savage dark comedy. The film could easily rely on the “cool factor” that these elements represent, but it also has some depth to the underlying story that will keep it from being a flash in the pan experience. This is a truly impressive debut from a filmmaker that we should all keep a close eye on.
Video Quality
This new Blu-Ray from Arrow Video gives Why Don’t You Just Die! an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 2.39:1 that is quite excellent. The film employs the use of some digital grain to give it a more filmic look. The visual aesthetic leans more into the greens and burnt orange portions of the color spectrum. Colors pop off the screen quite nicely, especially in the deep red of the copious amounts of blood. Black levels hold up pretty well with some admirable depth to the image. The detail level here is pretty insane, as the audience gets a perfect view of the grisly carnage on display. This transfer provides a great amount of texture to the costumes and production design that makes the film more immersive. There is some minor banding on display in a few instances, but Arrow has done quite a nice job with this release overall.
Audio Quality
The Blu-Ray comes with a dandy of a DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio track in the original Russian. Subtitles are formatted clearly in an aesthetically pleasing manner. Dialogue comes through nice and clear mostly focused on the center channel. The mix does a good job of balancing this information with the score and sound effects so that nothing ever gets clipped. The film employs a very active score that really brings a ferocity to the proceedings. There are also some interesting sound effects such as audio cues from Mortal Kombat that complement the stylistic flourishes of the film. The track has some interesting activity in the rear channels that properly conveys the claustrophobic setting. There is some intense activity in the low end from all the various forms of violence taking place on screen. This track does everything it needs to do for the film, if not more.
Special Features
- Why Can’t You Just Leave?: A 26-minute discussion with Kim Newman in which he covers the film in the greater context of Russian cinema, how the film utilizes classic western tropes and how focusing the action in a singular location impacts the film. There are a lot of comparisons to the works of directors such as The Coen Brothers, Sam Raimi, Quentin Tarantino, Sam Peckinpah and more. This is quite illuminating and entertaining.
- Behind The Scenes: A 27-minute multi-part making of special that documents the shoot including candid discussions with the cast and crew. The way in which this was shot often makes you feel like you are a fly on the wall during the production. This is presented in Russian with English subtitles.
- Short Films: A collection of short films from director Kirill Sokolov that showcases his trajectory to his debut.
- Could Be Worse: A nearly 14-minute short in which a young man has an incredibly tough day after his girlfriend breaks up with him. This one is really well done and effective.
- The Outcome: A bizarre 10-minute short that takes place in a hospital in which a sickly patient is cast aside in favor of tending to a wooden chair. A wry, interesting piece.
- The Flame: A 30-minute tale of a woman who has her life upended by a pregnancy, and the thoughtless boyfriend who draws her ire. A good mixture of violence and dark comedy.
- Sisyphus Is Happy: A 26-minute story about a family thrown into chaos after their son kills someone while defending himself during a mugging. The paranoia and dark comedy in this makes it my favorite of the bunch.
- Theatrical Trailer: The minute-and-a-half long trailer perfectly encapsulates the insanity of the film.
Final Thoughts
Why Don’t You Just Die? is a fantastically brutal tale that delivers with the comedic violence along with a compelling story. There are some moments in the film that may not be recommended for those with a sensitive disposition, but those that delight in gory excess will find a lot to cheer about here. Arrow Video has delivered us a domestic release with an amazing A/V presentation along with some impressive special features. If you are someone who loves over the top, stylized violence paired with a well-told story, you owe it to yourself to seek this one out. Highly Recommended
Why Don’t You Just Die? is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Arrow Video has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.
