The Rising Hawk is an Ukrainian historical action drama that involves an American and an Uzbek director and actresses and actors from England, Ireland, Kazakhstan and numerous other countries. To my very positive surprise, the final result manages to be authentic, coherent and gripping.
The story takes place in the Carpathian Mountains of the thirteenth century. Zakhar Berkut is the leader of a farm village on a mountain. His sons Ivan, who is married and has a son, as well as Maksym, who is still single, are the greatest hunters of their community. Zakhar Berkut wants to convince his arch enemy, wealthy boyar Tuhar Volk, to join a gathering of different communities and sends his sons to negotiate with him. They manage to impress the selfish boyar on a hunting trip as Maksym saves the boyar's rebellious daughter Myroslava and falls in love with her. Tuhar Volk is everything but pleased about that relationship and also expects neighbouring communities to follow his orders rather than cooperating with them. Those fragile relationships are put under further pressure when Mongolian invader Burunda Khan pushes westwards. When the son of the Mongolian general is murdered by Maksym, Burunda Khan is hell-bent on revenge. The different Eastern European communities must cooperate and be willing to sacrifice themselves to fight against their common enemy and for a better tomorrow.
This movie has been marketed as an action film about a Mongolian invasion but the first hour of the movie takes its time to introduce us to the different Eastern European communities, their relations with one another and their most important members. This part of the film can be considered a historical fiction drama. The characters are charismatic, diversified and intriguing. The relationship between brave hunter Maksym and rebellious Myroslava is developed carefully. Tuhar Volk oozes with charisma as sinister leader with significant strengths and weaknesses. The locations are absolutely stunning from ancestral villages over dense forests and wide meadows to snowy mountains.
The second part of the movie quickens up the pace and gets significantly more brutal. Burunda Khan impresses as pitiless but intelligent commander and his ruthless son leaves his mark as a terrifying sadist. Tuhar Volk becomes a key figure in this second part of the movie as he is torn between owing a debt to the Mongolian invader and protecting the rival community that has welcomed his own daughter. The movie ends with epic battle scenes, intriguing conspiracies and numerous deaths on all sides involved in the conflict.
Don't get fooled by the slow pace of the first hour since this historical fiction drama slowly shifts to a brutal action film that leaves a lasting impression. The Rising Hawk proves that birds of different feather can also flock together. It's an excellent example for a compelling international project that has managed to overcome its challenges and produced a diversified movie that entertains from start to finish. The Rising Hawk deserves more critical acclaim and attention. Anyone who cares about historical fiction and action dramas should watch this unexpected blockbuster.
The story takes place in the Carpathian Mountains of the thirteenth century. Zakhar Berkut is the leader of a farm village on a mountain. His sons Ivan, who is married and has a son, as well as Maksym, who is still single, are the greatest hunters of their community. Zakhar Berkut wants to convince his arch enemy, wealthy boyar Tuhar Volk, to join a gathering of different communities and sends his sons to negotiate with him. They manage to impress the selfish boyar on a hunting trip as Maksym saves the boyar's rebellious daughter Myroslava and falls in love with her. Tuhar Volk is everything but pleased about that relationship and also expects neighbouring communities to follow his orders rather than cooperating with them. Those fragile relationships are put under further pressure when Mongolian invader Burunda Khan pushes westwards. When the son of the Mongolian general is murdered by Maksym, Burunda Khan is hell-bent on revenge. The different Eastern European communities must cooperate and be willing to sacrifice themselves to fight against their common enemy and for a better tomorrow.
This movie has been marketed as an action film about a Mongolian invasion but the first hour of the movie takes its time to introduce us to the different Eastern European communities, their relations with one another and their most important members. This part of the film can be considered a historical fiction drama. The characters are charismatic, diversified and intriguing. The relationship between brave hunter Maksym and rebellious Myroslava is developed carefully. Tuhar Volk oozes with charisma as sinister leader with significant strengths and weaknesses. The locations are absolutely stunning from ancestral villages over dense forests and wide meadows to snowy mountains.
The second part of the movie quickens up the pace and gets significantly more brutal. Burunda Khan impresses as pitiless but intelligent commander and his ruthless son leaves his mark as a terrifying sadist. Tuhar Volk becomes a key figure in this second part of the movie as he is torn between owing a debt to the Mongolian invader and protecting the rival community that has welcomed his own daughter. The movie ends with epic battle scenes, intriguing conspiracies and numerous deaths on all sides involved in the conflict.
Don't get fooled by the slow pace of the first hour since this historical fiction drama slowly shifts to a brutal action film that leaves a lasting impression. The Rising Hawk proves that birds of different feather can also flock together. It's an excellent example for a compelling international project that has managed to overcome its challenges and produced a diversified movie that entertains from start to finish. The Rising Hawk deserves more critical acclaim and attention. Anyone who cares about historical fiction and action dramas should watch this unexpected blockbuster.