‘Empire V’ Fantasia Review – Russian Vampire Film Has a Biting Class Critique

Rama (Pavel Tabakov) is a vampire.

In writer/director Victor Ginzburg’s adaptation of Russian novelist Viktor Pelevin’s Empire V, however, the term takes on a whole new meaning.

Mixing the action of Nightwatch with the philosophical underpinnings of The Matrix sequels, Empire V is an unconventional entry in the vampire subgenre. Working as both an introduction to a sprawling new mythology, as well as a satirical critique of (Russian) capitalism, the film has already been banned in its home country where it was due to premiere last year.

The film’s politics aren’t exclusive to Russia, though co-star Oxxxymiron (aka Miron Fedorov) and lead actor Vladimir Epifantsev have both been critical of Russian President Vladimir Putin, with the former very publicly denouncing the invasion of Ukraine. For the most part, however, Empire V isn’t only commenting on Russia; its political commentary is broadly critiquing how the ruling class (in this case: vampires) use money to keep the (human) population in check.

When the film opens, Rama is still Roman, a twenty-something man living at home with his mother and loading trucks for a living. One day he spots graffiti on the street promising an opportunity to join the elite, which leads him to a mansion where he is bitten by Brahma (Vladimir Epifantsev). When he awakens, Roman has inherited Brahma’s vampirism, in addition to his name and all of his wealth.

From there, a new vampire mythology is immediately introduced. Most intriguingly, it is immediately made clear that the vamps of Empire V don’t bite. Their condition is thanks to a parasite called The Tongue, which nestles in the roof of their mouths and can carefully extract a single drop of blood from victims. Vampires still eat and drink like normal, but their “Red Liquid” consumption isn’t driven by a need to feed; rather, consuming blood allows vampires to access a person’s memories. In addition to this, they must ingest “candy” in order to perform superhuman tasks like running up walls or fighting.

Another integral component of this world is sampling. Vampires regularly ingest drops of clear liquid from famous humans in order to acquire their skills (for example Rama samples Steve McQueen in order to become an expert driver in mere seconds). The film never explains how these samples are acquired, but consumption is often accompanied by a CGI montage of cells and images that is very exciting.

So begins the lessons that dominate the film’s runtime, as Rama is inducted into the secret world of the ultra-elite. The vampires control humanity using Glamor (sexual imagery like advertising) and Discourse (political and philosophical writing); they’re driven not by sex or power, but by money, which is burned as a sacrifice or manipulated (mentally by directing human attention and energy) into Bablos, a powerful drug-like elixir that is intoxicating for vampires.

With so much emphasis on money, Empire V is curiously disinterested in sex. Shortly after his transformation, Rama uses his new powers to seduce a woman and later he learns from instructor Loki (Bronislav Vinogrodskiy) about the rules governing sex. These are alarmingly misogynistic and physically abusive towards women, although the film tries to pass it off as comedy when Loki uses a sex doll in his demonstration.

This is disappointing considering the role that sexuality plays in most vampire films. Instead, Empire V adheres to very traditional sex and gender norms. Although Rama’s love for fellow newbie Hera (Taya Radchenko) is the central conflict of the film, she’s frequently reduced to a pawn in male vampires’ power games. While she’s not exactly a damsel in distress, Hera exists primarily as a prize to be won in Rama’s battle with his adversary – and her mentor – Mithra (Fedorov).

Empire V also leans into tired stereotypes of queer sexuality. Despite the film’s disinterest in sex, there are still images of women making out at a club, while Mithra antagonizes Rama by mentioning that his male driver wants to sleep with him (the film treats this as an insult or a threat to Rama’s masculinity). Hera also uses the F slur to describe Rama’s colorful wardrobe, prompting him to immediately exchange it for exclusively black clothes (though admittedly Ginzburg’s script does poke fun at the vampire’s monochromatic look).

Despite Rama’s subdued wardrobe, Empire V is an extremely visual film. There’s a lengthy montage in the first act when he is given a crash course on vampires history that’s a marvel to behold: as the camera races around the world and through time, Rama morphs and melts into a variety of famous leaders, philosophers and/or military figures.

Then there’s the mythical Great Bat character that vampires originate from. Hidden deep underground, Ishtar’s giant body fills the screen, culminating in a floating, almost disembodied head (played by Vera Alentova). Between the samples and Bablos montages, the sonar imagery when vampires turn into bats, and Ishtar’s unique creature design, there’s plenty of visual flair in Empire V. Combined with the film’s overt philosophical musings about life, capitalism, and power, it’s a distinctly unconventional.

The heavy philosophical bent is admittedly easier to digest early on; as the film progresses, the pacing starts to stall as the endless rules and musings interrupt the flow of the (admittedly basic) conflict between Rama and Mithra. Although the last act does contain a few surprises that subvert expectations, including a delightfully unexpected climactic “battle” between adversaries, the nearly two-hour runtime definitely drags in the back half.

With that said, Empire V is a novelty: a fresh take on vampirism, complete with its own distinct set of rules and complemented by Ginzburg’s highly stylized visuals. While the combination of action and philosophy occasionally makes for odd bedfellows, and the uneven pacing and antiquated approach to sex and gender is unfortunate, it’s hard to dispute the timely relevancy of the film’s class critique of wealthy elite.

Plus: you have to admire any film that makes Putin mad. That’s gotta be a check in any film’s favor.