"Eastern Promises" may be violent and grim, sure, but it nonetheless shows real Oscar promise, considering the gushing reviews in Toronto.

Variety: "A superbly wrought yarn set in the milieu of first-generation Russian mobsters in London that is simultaneously tough-minded and compassionate about the human condition, 'Eastern Promises' instantly takes its place among David Cronenberg's very best films. Same could be said for Viggo Mortensen, whose tightly coiled star turn recalls the magnetic work of Hollywood's greats of yore . . . . The surprises and revelations continue right up to the eminently satisfying ending."(READ MORE)

Hollywood Reporter: "Ultraviolent, gruesome and riveting, David Cronenberg's transgressive crime drama, 'Eastern Promises,' may be one of the director's best recent films. Engineering the cliches of the gangster genre for their own purposes, Cronenberg and screenwriter Steve Knight masterfully orchestrate an atmosphere of danger and dread for a descent into an underworld inhabited by the Russian mafia in London . . . . A climactic scene, in which a naked, tattooed Mortensen slugs it out with hit-men in a steam bath and stabs one in the eye, is sure to generate word of mouth." (READ MORE)