Leviathan is a 2014 Russian drama film directed by Andrey Zvyagintsev and written by Zvyagintsev and Oleg Negin. It stars Aleksey Serebryakov, Elena Lyadova, and Vladimir Vdovichenkov.
The film is set in a small coastal town in Russia and follows the story of Kolya, a local car mechanic whose property is being seized by the corrupt mayor, Vadim. Kolya initially refuses to sell his property, but Vadim is determined to demolish the house and build on the land. Kolya seeks help from his childhood friend, Dmitriy, a Moscow-based lawyer, and they team up to fight Vadim in court.
As the legal battle progresses, Vadim resorts to more and more ruthless tactics to intimidate Kolya and his family, including bribing judges and manipulating evidence. Meanwhile, Kolya's personal life begins to crumble as he struggles with alcoholism and his wife's infidelity.
The film is a powerful indictment of corruption and abuse of power in contemporary Russia. It portrays a bleak and oppressive world where justice is elusive and the individual is powerless against the state. The title, Leviathan, is a biblical reference to a sea monster that symbolizes chaos and destruction, suggesting that the film is a commentary on the moral decay and social turmoil of modern society.
