I rented this film mostly out of curiosity and to see what I might learn from it, as far as cinematography and just to look at how the film was put together overall. I had read good things about it, so I was at least game to try it out. To be honest, I wasn't necessarily expecting it to be enjoyable. After all, it's not a period of history I'm particularly fond of, and to read the synopsis, you just know it's going to be a little slow, and probably a bit of work to get through. It turned out to be both of those things, but for some reason, I found myself enjoying it anyway, and before you know it, I was watching it again.

    The story is relatively simple, as is most of the dialogue; the movie basically follows a guy around the Hermitage museum in St. Petersburg and as you enter each room, you see different phases of Russian history taking place in the flesh. The narrarator (whose eyes we are looking out of throughout the film) and his companion, an 18th century French marquis, are mostly unnoticed by the people they are observing, although there are some interactions. But mostly we get a tour of the museum with the marquis providing commentary and insight. While the movie is about Russian history, it also illustrates the strange variety of Franco-Russian relations over the years. Sokurov's portrayal of these relations shows that while Russians are fiercely proud of their culture, they still can admire and sometimes even emulate European culture, while Europe tends to vacillate between arrogance and an amused patronizing of their eastern neighbors.
    In the end, the message seems to be that the three hundred years' history contained in the Hermitage museum represents, perhaps not a golden age, but some of the high points of Russian history and culture, and as Russian society sails through the turbulence of the present and future of our world, trying to reinvent themselves post-communism (and in the midst of terrorism and a resurgent authoritarianism), this ark and these highpoints contain the seeds of renewal for whatever good may come next.
    As for the production values of this film, the images are calm and beautiful throughout. The movie was filmed in one complete 96-minute take with a single high definition steadicam, which gives you the sensation of floating through the museum, like a ghost. The lighting is at turns warm and cool, and very believable. The sound design is lush, with big empty rooms that echo and reverberate the way only a big, empty room with wood or marble floors can. The music matches the rest of the film; it is serene, soft, joyful, sentimental, romantic, and sad.
    Overall, I'd have to say that I highly recommend this film. If you don't like slow movies with subtitles and history you're not familiar with, don't bother, unless your sense of adventure outweighs those. But if you've ever found yourself wandering around a chilly art/culture/history museum in Europe, or would like to, you should definitely check it out. You'll feel right at home.