Furious (film)

Plot

The story follows the bogatyr Evpaty Kolovrat, whose nickname Kolovrat (spinning wheel) is given by his future wife Nastya for his dual-wielding of swords in a circular motion. In a prologue set after the Battle of the Kalka River in 1223, a young Evpaty is overpowered by Mongols and left for dead. By 1236, he serves Prince Yuri of Ryazan.

When the Mongol army under Batu Khan approaches in 1237, Prince Fedor leads envoys including Evpaty to negotiate. Batu Khan gives Evpaty a talisman for safe conduct, but the Mongols kill Fedor; Evpaty and some soldiers escape. Returning to Ryazan, they find the city destroyed.

Evpaty assembles a detachment to delay the Mongols, hoping for reinforcements from neighboring princes, but none arrive. He orders soldier Karkun to escort surviving women and children to safety. In a final stand on a fortified hilltop, Evpaty kills Mongol commander Khostovrul, but all defenders die. Mortally wounded, Evpaty sees a sail on the river, indicating Karkun's group escaped.

He returns the talisman to Batu Khan and dies. The Khan orders a hero's burial. An epilogue in 1242 shows Karkun leading the united Novgorod-Vladimir army, urging them to remember Evpaty's sacrifice before the Battle on the Ice.

Production

The producers chose not to build physical 13th-century sets, instead creating them with computer effects. This was the first feature film directed by Ivan Shurkhovetsky. Dzhanik Fayziev stated the creators focused on feelings and experiences that turn an ordinary person into a hero, blending history with fantasy and realism.

Over 500 episodic artists took part in mass scenes. Lead actor Ilya Malakov starred in his first feature film role. The filmmakers abandoned historical reconstruction to create a fairy-tale world. Principal photography took place in Moscow at a specially constructed pavilion at the ZiL plant, which housed Europe's largest chromakey pavilions, totaling over 4,000 square meters.

Adjacent pavilions held training spaces for actors and stuntmen, a riding arena, and a stable. Visual effects were created by Main Road Post, which also worked on The Duelist, Prizrak, and Stalingrad. Pavel Stepanov noted the effects were deliberately fabulous to emphasize the film's legendary basis.

Soundtrack

The soundtrack was composed by American musician Serj Tankian, leader of System of a Down, in his first work for Russian cinema. Tankian collaborated with performers of folk instruments such as balalaika, zhaleika, treshchotka, and domra, as well as throat singing masters from Tuva, a symphony orchestra, and a choir. The recording included electric guitars and electronic instruments but no piano. Tankian personally played many instruments.

Release

Roskino included Furious among films shown at the Cannes Film Festival in May 2017. The film was released theatrically in Russia by Central Partnership on November 30, 2017, and had its television premiere on May 7, 2018, on Russia-1.

In November 2017, President Vladimir Putin viewed the film at the Moscow Kremlin, where props such as a sword, shield, and costume elements were displayed. Minister of Culture Vladimir Medinsky, director Dzhanik Fayziev, and actors Ilya Malakov and Polina Chernyshova attended. Well Go USA acquired North American rights, with additional rights sold for French-speaking countries and Spain. TGV Cinemas licensed the film for Malaysian screenings in April 2018.

Did You Know?

• The title song 'A fine morning' was recorded by Serj Tankian with Ekaterina Ivanchikova of the band IOWA.
• The film earned 30 million rubles on its opening day and 261 million rubles in its first weekend.
• The site of the destroyed city of Ryazan is now the village of Staraya Ryazan in Ryazan Oblast.