The Wizard of the Kremlin

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The Wizard of the Kremlin

2025

2h 36m

Drama

Mystery & Thriller

History

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Popcornmeter

52%

Tomatometer

44 Reviews

Popcornmeter

Fewer than 50 Ratings

Russia, early 1990s. Amid post-Soviet chaos, a brilliant young man, Vadim Baranov, charts his path. First an artist, then a reality TV producer, he becomes the spin doctor to a rising KGB agent: Vladimir Putin. At the heart of power, Baranov shapes the new Russia, blurring the boundaries between truth and lies, belief and manipulation. Only the magnetic Ksenia is beyond his control, tempting him away from this dangerous game. Years later, after retreating into silence and shrouded in mystery, Baranov finally opens up, revealing the dark secrets of the regime he helped build.

Critics Consensus

A dryly witty yet overwrought slow burner, The Wizard of the Kremlin can't overcome its thin characters, sluggish pacing, and repetitive storytelling.

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Travis Jeppesen

Sight & Sound

Sep 26

Olivier Assayas makes the distracting decision to have half the cast speaking in English accents, but his political drama about Vladimir Putin and his spin doctor shows great understanding of the inner workings of a totalitarian propaganda state.

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Alexander Mooney

Slant Magazine

Sep 15

1.5/4

Olivier Assayas’s knack for fostering insight through irony is nowhere to be found in the film.

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Nick Schager

The Daily Beast

Sep 11

A prototypical example of talking, ceaselessly and crudely, at the audience.

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Javier Ocaña

El Pais (Spain)

Mar 9

With Assayas and Carrère, with their profound reflection and sharp dialogue, The Wizard of the Kremlin always gives the impression of being made by people of superior intelligence and knowledge. [Full review in Spanish]

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Belen Prieto

Espinof

Mar 7

3/5

There's ambition, talent, and more than enough raw material for a great film, but the result is a very elegant political puzzle with little substance. [Full review in Spanish]

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Jennie Kermode

Eye for Film

Mar 6

2.5/5

Dano has chosen to use the same flat vocal expression throughout, a technique well suited to satire which might have worked if only the rest of the film had been a bit more lively.

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Runa R

@runa.r 1d

I enjoyed the film very much and watched it with great interest. The performances of Jude Law and Paul Dano are superb — especially how the latter, in such a subtle and restrained tone, conveys the horrors of a totalitarian state.

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Tormod N

@RT96409236 Mar 17

Good movie. Especially if you are into russian history. Explained the russian/putins side of the war in good details. Absolutely worth a watch. If youre not a history buff it might be a bit slow.

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Ira L

@IreneLeva Mar 14

The best way to sum up this masterpiece is TheCringeIsTooStrong.gif. However, the current press tour interviews with Low Jude and Pavel Danov where they try to justify their participation in this masterpiece are almost entertaining.

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A M

@Absolute_Cinema33 Mar 13

Esta película tiene una premisa que no es muy interesante. La trama se desarrolla de forma lenta y con algunas escenas innecesariamente largas. Además, esta película consta de muy pocas escenas memorables y de escenarios variados. Pero todo lo malo de esta película lo contrasta un desarrollo del protagonista más que notorio ya que con el paso del tiempo vamos descubriendo cómo es psicológicamente, en esta película se muestra una Rusia que se siente real y sientes que la película te transporta a ese lugar todo acompañado con un buen soundtrack que ambienta muy bien la película. Y de lejos lo mejor de esta película es su final que es tanto inesperado como impactante como desgarrador que cierra de forma brusca esta película Resumen: esta es una película larga que tiene una trama no muy interesante pero con buena ambientación y con un final desgarrador

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7th B

@7thbag Mar 9

If one somehow refrains from criticizing the timing of the film's release during the Russian aggression against Ukraine, then have a great time watching this great example of how Russian propaganda is voluntarily brought to the big screen by Western directors and actors. The only question is – is it really voluntary?

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Paul K

@prbko Mar 8

Ironically the perfect example of Russian soft power. Jude Law looks a bit like Putin because of his receding hairline. That's about the best part of this film.

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Olivier Assayas

Director

Paul Dano

Actor

Jude Law

Actor

Alicia Vikander

Actor

Tom Sturridge

Actor

Jeffrey Wright

Actor

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Synopsis

Russia, early 1990s. Amid post-Soviet chaos, a brilliant young man, Vadim Baranov, charts his path. First an artist, then a reality TV producer, he becomes the spin doctor to a rising KGB agent: Vladimir Putin. At the heart of power, Baranov shapes the new Russia, blurring the boundaries between truth and lies, belief and manipulation. Only the magnetic Ksenia is beyond his control, tempting him away from this dangerous game. Years later, after retreating into silence and shrouded in mystery, Baranov finally opens up, revealing the dark secrets of the regime he helped build.

Director: Olivier Assayas
Producer: Olivier Assayas
Screenwriter: Olivier Assayas, Emmanuel Carrère
Production Co: Gaumont, Curiosa Films, France 2 Cinéma
Genre: Drama, Mystery & Thriller, History
Original Language: English
Runtime: 2h 36m