Film Review – The Wizard of the Kremlin

“The Wizard of the Kremlin” is an adaptation of a 2022 book by Giuliano da Empoli, which explored the fictional tale of a young man’s rise in Russia after the fall of the Soviet Union. The film emphasizes the “fiction” label, making distance from real events clear, especially since the tale charts the development of Vladamir Putin as he goes from government spy to the new “Tsar.” Co-writer/director Olivier Assayas clearly has a passion for this era in Russia’s history, offering viewers insight into power plays and relationships that helped to form the country as we know it today. “The Wizard of the Kremlin” is interesting when it comes to politics, exploring shifts in control and information as Putin became used to running things his way. It’s also an extremely dry viewing experience, with Assayas refusing screen momentum at times to linger on character tensions that aren’t always there. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com