Oliver Assayas’ topical drama The Wizard of the Kremlin, revolving around a scheming Russian spin doctor who smooths Vladimir Putin’s ascent to power in the 1990s, world premiered in Venice this afternoon.
Paul Dano plays the titular role of Vadim Baranov, a former avant-garde artist and reality TV show producer, who becomes the unofficial advisor to ex-KGB agent Putin as rises up the political chain. Jude Law is Putin and is joined in the cast by Alicia Vikander, Jeffrey Wright and Tom Sturridge.
The drama is getting mixed notices on the Lido. Jude Law comes in for praise from multiple publications but some are struggling with a perceived lack of verve.
Deadline’s Damon Wise describes the film as “engrossing”: “Though it is set almost entirely within the realpolitik of early 21st century Moscow, The Wizard of the Kremlin offers a warning to the West about how that state of affairs came to be.”
He adds: “Unusually, though it clocks in at a hefty 156 minutes, it seldom drags, and it’s almost disappointing that Assayas, who did such a great job with Carlos (2010) didn’t take the mini-series route here too. Performance-wise, Jude Law is a surprisingly effective Putin, getting the President’s pout to perfection, and giving him a slightly abrasive Estuary English accent. Dano, meanwhile, is up to something much more mysterious and mannered, speaking in a gentle singsong that takes a little bit of getting used to. Physically, he’s a good fit for the role too, putting a benign face on a character who borders on sociopathic.”
The International Cinephile Society gave the film four out of five stars, saying: “Olivier Assayas’s latest effort is little more than the dramatization of a couple of Wikipedia pages. But in the hands of the French helmer and his lead man Paul Dano, ironically playing a supporting character, albeit an important one, in the rise of Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin to the position of Russian dictator, this epic account becomes an engrossing tale on the power of corruption and the corruption of power.”
Next Best Picture gave the film a score of 7/10, saying: “Olivier Assayas’ political epic is crafted with a smart level of clarity that makes the wide-ranging story, filled with many characters, easy to follow. The intelligent screenplay is a delight to listen to”, before adding, “But at the same time, the script is more interesting before Jude Law’s Putin shows up. After that point, it becomes a fairly repetitive series of scenes of political philosophizing.”
Little White Lies struggled with the movie, noting: “Olivier Assayas’ mad and maddening take on the mastermind behind Putin never quite lands a proper punch…As it stumbles towards its predictable final scene, The Wizard of the Kremlin fully abandons its attempt at riotous farce to try grasping at the sombre reality of the present. It is a commendable endeavour, but also one that completely misunderstands where the treasure chest of its premise lies, maddeningly pulling away from the welcome provocation of the absurd to add yet another desperate scream to the torturous echo chamber we are all currently trapped in.”
As did The Playlist, calling it “a bloated bore”: “It might be tempting to compare Olivier Assayas’ “The Wizard of the Kremlin” to a piece of Russian literature, but the points of similarity mostly end with it being long and dense. There’s not much in the way of philosophical heft or psychological insight as the plot follows many decades in the life of Paul Dano’s Vadim Baranov, the fictionalization of a real apparatchik spearheading Putin’s communication strategy. While a comprehensive look at how the playbook for the paradoxical “sovereign democracy” came to be, the film proves clunky to watch.”
Jude Law comes in for praise from multiple outlets. The Telegraph was mixed on the film, but wrote: “The tics of Russia’s sociopath-in-chief are captured frighteningly well by Law in The Wizard of the Kremlin, an otherwise so-so new film.” Meanwhile, The Times Of London’s review is behind a paywall but the paper declares that “Jude Law is perfect as a petulant Putin”.
The Independent says “Jude Law is an intense, torso-baring Putin” but describes the movie as “a mediocre drama”: “Olivier Assayas’s new film has some anarchic energy to it, but it lacks nuance and insight overall.”
The feature has been adapted by Assayas and award-winning writer Emmanuel Carrère from Giuliano da Empoli’s eponymous 2022 novel inspired by the career of Putin’s real long-term adviser and spin doctor Vladislav Surkov.
Pic is produced by Oliver Delbosc (Curiosa Films) and Sidonie Dumas (Gaumont) in coproduction with France 2 Cinéma with the participation of France Télévisions and Disney+. Gaumont is handling French distribution and international sales.
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