I think «Loveless» is the purest and the most elaborated film of Andrey Zvyagintsev for today. In his previous works Zvyagintsev was working out two main dimensions. The first dimension is related with a mythological, archetypical and religios symbolism. The second dimension is a social criticism headed against vices of political and social system. In «The Return» and «The Bunisment» the director works with the first aspect. «Elena» and «Leviathan» shift the focus to a social criticism topic. And, finally, «Loveless» combines these aspects into a harmonic unity.
Underneath the narrative about human egoism in the modern world we discover the pattern of a creepy fairytale which resembles Brothers Grimm stories. When characters set off to find their son the world of film turns into a mystic space. The images of city and civilization gradually change into pictures of forest and abandoned houses. Thus Zhenyai and Boris are plunged into their unconscious mind to face the real nature of themselves. And this nature is to be so selfish and scary. Just compare Zvyagintsev's «Loveless» and Lars von Trier's «Antichrist» — both films has an image of a forest where person meets its terrifying but authentic identity. Ultimately the thing Zhenyai and Boris are searching for is not their son but acceptance of who they really are.
So I love this film a lot because it could be seen in a different levels, each one is linked to another.