Mark Of Cain (2007) 8/10

I love prison tattoos. Well let me rephrase that, I love the significance behind prison tattoos. Today many ink crazy humans decide to get whatever they want because it looks "cool," instead of actually doing research as to what that tattoo actually means. The Mark of Cain sets out to discover what some Russian prison tattoos actually mean.

The Mark of Cain is shot on a handheld consumer camcorder so the quality of the image is a bit lacking but the quality of the information and the access the director gets is astounding. Something tells me it's not too easy to get into a Russian prison with a video camera hoping to interview convicted felons. The world Balls comes to mind, especially when a few convicts recount their crimes, in particular, a man that decapitated three men for robbing his mother's grave.

Though roughly shot and edited, The Mark Of Cain is a unique view into the horrible world of a Russian Prison. It details the cultural change within the prison as well as the criminal treatment of the convicts. We also get great detail on what each tattoo means and its significance within the greater prison community. Recommended

Overall - 8/10