This is the sequel to Balabonov's Russian blockbuster Brat, or Brother for our English speaking fans. It is a different movie, a little bigger in scope, but the formula stays the same.

Danila returns this time to take on Moscow. After his friend is killed needlessly, events take him to America to make things right. I really liked this film too. The thing that differentiates Brat and Brat II from a typical film is that it is real, you can feel it. Balabanov shows a talent here for screenplay that has no false pretenses, the same as he did in the first film.

Is America all about money and Russia all about Truth? In the best sense, yes. Seeing America through Balabonov's eyes is an nice reminder of where popular American values stand. Danila asks, "What is in English 'How are you?' Answer: "How are you?" "What, is everyone interested in how I am?" "No." "Then why do they ask?" "Just like that. In America everything is just like that, except for money." Isn't this ze truth?

There is something intangible that makes Brat and Brat II magical. It very well maybe that you have to be Russian to understand it. The Russian and intelligent viewers will understand, also, that Danila comes back from a war. I don't know why it is written that he saw no action, but as usual, when a soldier comes back from war, they have seen men killed as a matter of course and have likely killed people themselves. This fact, along with the economic situation in Russia at the time would seem to mitigate somewhat Danila's propensity for killing. The fact that he is such a calm soul while murdering people left and right, ironically, also ads to his charisma. I am reminded when Margarita in Bulgakov's classic says, "I like it when someone does things well."

All in all, it is uncanny how a story of a killer taps into the best of our emotions. Maybe it's the elliptical style, maybe it is the heartfelt motive, but more than not, I think, it's Sergei Bodrov.

IF you are not a fan of international movies, if you don't like to read subtitles, and have something against films that bring the perfect balance between real life and film dramatization, then stick to Bay Transformers and TMNT movies.

Brat 2, or Brother-2 is a sequel to one of Russians most famous and most underrated films of all time Brat. Both films have an amazing complex and meaningful stories to showcase within the world of family, mobsters, political corruption and the absence of authority in the former Soviet Union.

The story showcases that no matter where you go, or what race or religion people are, they will always be good and bad people, his ability to show a strangers trust and kindness to help others is portrayed brilliantly as well as showing the racism and strangers ignorance of other people.

The Acting in the film was far above its time and other films. The problem that this wasn't a Hollywood film nor was made it by a Hollywood studio with a big budget,it was never looked at more then a good Russian Drama action film, but it is so much more then that.

One thing is true. They don't make films like this anymore. Hope you guys liked my review, if you did check out my other reviews on many different social pages, by just searching my name and adding "reviews" after it.

I'm always intrigued by the type of people who comes on IMDB.com to give movies perfect "10" vote. As a movie reviewer, I can count on one hand the number of films I've given a perfect "10" score to, and I average more movies in a year than most people will see in their lifetime. So when I see that nearly 100 people have given BRAT 2 a perfect "10" score, I can only assume there is something about BRAT 2 that makes people take the time to come on this site in order to pad the movie, because the film itself is certainly not THAT good.

BRAT 2 is about a Russian who comes to America in search of a comrade who is being cheated out of his rightful earnings by a ruthless American businessman. Along the way, the Russian (as a tool of the writer/director) lets us in on the fact that Russians are not used to seeing black people. Or at least, the type of African-Americans that live in America. How else can one explain the rampant racism directed toward blacks in BRAT 2?

Besides the obvious, BRAT 2 has some nice sequences. The entire thing, as is the usual trademark of the writer/director, treats its violence with a nonchalant attitude. Of course there's no real realism to the violence, and the whole thing looks like a big cartoon instead of a gritty crime film, which I thick some people here thinks it is.

All in all, BRAT 2 is certainly not bad. But it's certainly not the greatest thing to come out of Russia, as nearly 100 voters on this board would have you believe.

5 out of 10

(go to www.nixflix.com for a more detailed review of this movie and reviews of other foreign films)