Eastern Promises

David Cronenberg is back in "A History of Violence" territory, and Viggo Mortensen comes with him to bring this new incarnation to ambiguous, shadowy life. He's still and careful as chauffeur and mob soldier Nikolai, a Russian in London standing by quietly but alertly while his reckless cohort (Vincent Cassel) tries to impress his father, the ruthless crime-family boss Semyon (Armin Mueller-Stahl). Naomi Watts co-stars as an innocent hospital midwife who lands in Semyon's sights when she inherits the incriminating diary of a runaway prostitute. We want to believe that Nikolai is a soulful gangster with a criminal code behind his ambiguous grin and dark glasses because he may be her only protection, but he's impenetrable to the end, thanks to Mortensen's restraint and Cronenberg's cool distance. It makes the steely gangster drama reverberate with ambiguity long after it ends. Includes two featurettes. Available in separate wide-screen and full-screen editions, as well as HD DVD format. Releases Dec. 23.