The Upcoming
  • Cinema & Tv
    • Movie reviews
    • Film festivals
      • Berlin
      • Tribeca
      • Sundance London
      • Cannes
      • Locarno
      • Venice
      • London
      • Toronto
    • Show reviews
  • Music
    • Live music
  • Food & Drinks
    • News & Features
    • Restaurant & bar reviews
    • Interviews & Recipes
  • Theatre
  • Art
  • Travel & Lifestyle
  • Literature
  • Fashion & Beauty
    • Accessories
    • Beauty
    • News & Features
    • Shopping & Trends
    • Tips & How-tos
    • Fashion weeks
      • London Fashion Week
      • London Fashion Week Men’s
      • New York Fashion Week
      • Milan Fashion Week
      • Paris Fashion Week
      • Haute Couture
  • Join us
    • Editorial unit
    • Our writers
    • Join the team
    • Join the mailing list
    • Support us
    • Contact us
  • Competitions
  • Facebook

  • Twitter

  • Instagram

  • YouTube

  • RSS

CultureMovie reviews

Rhino

Rhino | Movie review
16 May 2022
Catherine Sedgwick
Avatar
Catherine Sedgwick
16 May 2022

Movie and show review

Catherine Sedgwick

Rhino

★★★★★

Release date

16th May 2022

Links

TwitterInstagramFacebookWebsite

Depicting a chaotic 1990s Ukraine, after the fall of the Berlin Wall, Rhino portrays a young man embroiled in violent criminality who wrestles with his demons, yearning to find meaning and be a better person.

Contrasting with his adulthood of savage thuggery, the film’s opening presents Rhino as a boy in a field of sunflowers. Wielding a weapon, however, he annihilates some of the giant blooms, a preview of his destruction of the good in his life. Though a target of bullying by a gang of boys, he never stops fighting back. Another hint at the source of his developing aggression are segments showing him attacking his abusive father to protect his mother. Later he is drawn to gang brutality, crime and debauchery. It becomes apparent that the narrative is a flashback as we are introduced to future scenes of Rhino (Serhii Filimonov) in a car with an unidentified man, discussing his life and his wish for a higher purpose – though the movie offers little redemption.

The cinematography is very fast up to the point of Rhino’s life in crime. Moving constantly in a circular, almost dizzying motion, the camera rarely lingers, as his childhood, his family and his courtship and marriage to Marina (Alina Zievakova) is portrayed. Shots of landscapes and community are highly atmospheric, depicting the uniqueness of Ukrainian society, and every frame is beautifully composed. However, the brevity of each shot hinders more detailed observation, showing a jumbled vision of Rhino’s early life. A slower pace and more narrative specifics may have allowed for more development of his character.

In 2012, director Oleh Sentsov was awarded Best Project and Best Pitching at the Sofia International Film Festival, but the production was suspended for several years after Sentsov was imprisoned for his anti-Putin activism. Released in 2019, thanks to Amnesty International, he was awarded the Sakharov Prize for Human Rights by the EU Parliament. Also co-produced by Poland and Germany, Rhino was filmed in 2020, premiering at the Venice Film Festival in 2021.

From its start, Rhino produces a visceral emotional response which evolves to shock and revulsion as the brutality progresses. A powerful and accomplished endeavour, the film is an informative depiction of aspects of Ukrainian culture during tumultuous times. Apart from the extreme violence, a sense of a unique and charismatic heritage is conveyed. Philosophical and thoughtful, despite an unforgiving storyline, the piece attempts a glimmer of hope. 

★★★★★

Catherine Sedgwick

Rhino is released digitally on demand on 16th May 2022.

Watch the trailer for Rhino here:

Related ItemsfilmmovieOleh SentsovreviewRhinoSerhii Filimonovukraine

More in Movie reviews

Ithaka

★★★★★
Matthew McMillan
Read More

Wayfinder

★★★★★
Umar Ali
Read More

Brian and Charles

★★★★★
Matthew McMillan
Read More

Futura

★★★★★
Andrew Murray
Read More

Clean

★★★★★
Andrew Murray
Read More

The Railway Children Return

★★★★★
Umar Ali
Read More

Eric Ravilious: Drawn to War

★★★★★
Umar Ali
Read More

Minions: The Rise of Gru

★★★★★
Sarah Bradbury
Read More

Nitram

★★★★★
Umar Ali
Read More
Scroll for more
Tap

Movie and show review

Catherine Sedgwick

Rhino

★★★★★

Release date

16th May 2022

Links

TwitterInstagramFacebookWebsite

  • Popular

  • Latest

  • TOP PICKS

  • Africa Fashion at the V&A
    ★★★★★
    Art
  • Beauty and the Beast: The Musical at London Palladium
    ★★★★★
    Theatre
  • St Vincent at the Hammersmith Apollo
    ★★★★★
    Live music
  • Netflix Walking Tour: From Bridgerton to The Crown, a free walking tour through the filming locations
    Cinema & Tv
  • The Railway Children Return
    ★★★★★
    Movie review
  • “We really wanted to create a cabbage gun”: An interview with David Earl and Chris Hayward stars of Brian and Charles
    Cinema & Tv
  • Paolo Nutini – Last Night in the Bittersweet
    ★★★★★
    Album review
  • Viagra Boys – Cave World
    ★★★★★
    Album review
  • Ithaka
    ★★★★★
    Movie review
  • Wayfinder
    ★★★★★
    Movie review
  • Paolo Nutini – Last Night in the Bittersweet
    ★★★★★
    Album review
  • Viagra Boys – Cave World
    ★★★★★
    Album review
  • The Railway Children Return
    ★★★★★
    Movie review
  • Adele lights up Hyde Park for BST Festival
    ★★★★★
    Live music
  • Beauty and the Beast: The Musical at London Palladium
    ★★★★★
    Theatre
The Upcoming
Pages
  • Contact us
  • Join mailing list
  • Join us
  • Our London food map
  • Our writers
  • Support us
  • What, when, why
With the support from:
International driving license

Copyright © 2011-2020 FL Media

The Innocents | Movie review
The Road Dance | Movie review