The Last Station: DVD Review

The Last Station: DVD Review

The Last Station
Rating: M
Released by Vendetta Films

The Last Station is about Leo Tolstoy and the final year of his life.

As time begins to take its toll on Tolstoy (Christopher Plummer), his fervent disciples, lead by Paul Giamatti's Vladimir Chertkov are trying desperately to get him to change his will to leave them everything.

That way, they can be guaranteed that his work survives.

However, one thing standing in their way - and with a fair degree of reason on her side - is his wife, Sofya (Helen Mirren).

Thrust into this stand off is a brand new secretary (James McAvoy) - even though he's a dedicated Tolstoyian, the secretary comes to question what's going on.

There's plenty to enjoy in The Last Station - thanks to a rich script and a beautifully shot story, you'll find yourself captivated by it all.

But it's the two lead actors who really take your breath away; it's clear to see why these two were lavished with Oscar nominations this year - and it's also a shame that they lost out. It's a marvellous towering performance from Christopher Plummer as Tolstoy himself and an even better performance from Helen Mirren as his wife Sofya.

Sadly the last half hour of the film feels a little drawn out - which is a shame as this is the emotional crux of the film and the pacing feels a bit off; perhaps that's because we're so spoilt early on with the mix of melodrama, politics, greed and wit.

Extras: Tribute to Christopher Plummer, Cast Interviews

Rating: 8/10