Two major versions of this film exist (along with some other releases with minor differences). Which one do you prefer? The original "unfinished" cut that saw a release in Russia? The "corrected" version that appeared straight-to-DVD in the United States? One of the other releases that appeared in between them?
For me, it's the Russian cut. It has some clumsy editing choices at the beginning, specifically during the fight between the Guardian and Zai, but overall, the untrimmed versions of numerous scenes play much better than they do in their truncated American iteration. The U.S. cut also explicitly invalidates the Game, whereas the original release merely teases the possibility that it's all a lie without committing to the idea. Both versions are bad, and the Russian version contains material that's not missed, but in the end, the tiny additional character moments add up to a better viewing experience. It's sorta like comparing the theatrical and home video versions of Endgame: the main problems are all still there, but it goes down a little easier when it's given room to breathe.
For me, it's the Russian cut. It has some clumsy editing choices at the beginning, specifically during the fight between the Guardian and Zai, but overall, the untrimmed versions of numerous scenes play much better than they do in their truncated American iteration. The U.S. cut also explicitly invalidates the Game, whereas the original release merely teases the possibility that it's all a lie without committing to the idea. Both versions are bad, and the Russian version contains material that's not missed, but in the end, the tiny additional character moments add up to a better viewing experience. It's sorta like comparing the theatrical and home video versions of Endgame: the main problems are all still there, but it goes down a little easier when it's given room to breathe.
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