Tycoon is ultimately unpowerful

Tycoon: a New Russian, for all its bravado, its promise of action, and its under-worldly appeal, fails to prove itself interesting. The tycoon in question is Plato Makovski (Vladmir Vashkov), a "rat-charmer" from the Urals who found his niche in the exploitation of the post-Soviet economy only to be assassinated at the height of his power. While Makovski manages to seduce at least two very beautiful women during the course of the film, he falls short of seducing the audience.

Were it not for the complete void of feeling towards the main character, the convoluted but brilliant plot would have been more gripping. In addition to beautiful women, it features more realistic gunplay than most American action flicks, traitors, illegal dealings and enough Stoli to drown any country other than Russia. However, the main thread of the film is that Makovski has been killed, and you are supposed to care about who did it and why.

Makovski's character is revealed in a series of flashbacks told out of sequence to an asthmatic investigator named Chmakov (Andrei Krasko). This style is perfect for the story, keeping current events shrouded in mystery, rationing out background information slowly and without explanation. It feels exactly as one subject says to Chmakov, "I don't know why I'm telling you this." The wild stories almost put you in Chmakov's shoes, hiding the truth about Makovski's death until the very end, supporting the way the intricate plot that twists and turns like a writhing snake.

Other noteworthy aspects of Tycoon include the recurring themes and symbols that make the movie flow well despite its choppy format and the acting. Somehow, the movie just manages to be thoroughly uncompelling; there is no real attachment to any of the characters. In fact, the first hour of the 123-minutes is just dull. Almost every scene is in heavy rain; there is no motivation, no excitement.

The second half is slightly better. At least, the weather improves somewhat. Though the plot thickens, it turns into something with not only the consistency but also the appeal of pea soup. Nothing makes you care about Makovski or any of his cohorts. After a while, you find yourself listening intently to the dialogs, comparing them to the subtitles in an effort to teach yourself Russian before the movie ends--a feat that feels like it very well may be possible if not for the mid-twentieth century jazz that at times drowns out the voices and the disappearance of the subtitles every time someone in a white shirt comes into the foreground.

For those uninterested in learning Russian or absorbing a likeness of Russian history, Tycoon is best left unseen, at least until it comes out on DVD where you can skip every other scene.

Tycoon: a New Russian is in Russian with English subtitles, runs 123 minutes, is not rated and is playing at Visions Cinema/Bistro/Lounge 1927 Florida Ave NW. For show times and more information about Visions, visit www.visionsdc.com or call (202) 667-0090.