Movies / Reviews
Jude Law As Vladimir Putin: What The First Reviews Say About 'The Wizard Of The Kremlin'
The film features a remarkable cast, yet the storyline falls flat in execution, leaving audiences wanting more depth and engagement.
Jude Law has played many roles. We have seen him as a young Dumbledore and even as the Pope, but few film enthusiasts could have predicted that he would ever embody Vladimir Putin. How does this actually turn out?
Law stars in The Wizard of the Kremlin, directed by Olivier Assayas. This film is an adaptation of the well-known book by Giuliano da Empoli, which covers the rise of Vladimir Putin through the eyes of his manipulative advisor, Vadim Baranov.
Despite Assayas managing to assemble a stellar cast for his film, as well as other significant roles played by Paul Dano, Alicia Vikander, and Jeffrey Wright alongside Law, the film unfortunately receives lukewarm reviews.
On Rotten Tomatoes, The Wizard of the Kremlin currently holds a score of just 46% after 13 reviews. While this may still change, for now, the film is labeled 'Rotten,' clearly indicating a mixed or rather negative reception.
The low rating reflects that very few critics truly appreciate the film. The Hollywood Reporter compares the film to a six-hour miniseries played at 1.5x speed, arguing that it presents too much information at once in a two-hour feature.
IndieWire states that the film builds slowly, yet lacks a certain sharpness to elevate it to a higher level. The Guardian offers a similar critique, suggesting that the finale feels forced. The Times is somewhat more positive.
Law stars in The Wizard of the Kremlin, directed by Olivier Assayas. This film is an adaptation of the well-known book by Giuliano da Empoli, which covers the rise of Vladimir Putin through the eyes of his manipulative advisor, Vadim Baranov.
Reception
Despite Assayas managing to assemble a stellar cast for his film, as well as other significant roles played by Paul Dano, Alicia Vikander, and Jeffrey Wright alongside Law, the film unfortunately receives lukewarm reviews.
On Rotten Tomatoes, The Wizard of the Kremlin currently holds a score of just 46% after 13 reviews. While this may still change, for now, the film is labeled 'Rotten,' clearly indicating a mixed or rather negative reception.
Criticism
The low rating reflects that very few critics truly appreciate the film. The Hollywood Reporter compares the film to a six-hour miniseries played at 1.5x speed, arguing that it presents too much information at once in a two-hour feature.
IndieWire states that the film builds slowly, yet lacks a certain sharpness to elevate it to a higher level. The Guardian offers a similar critique, suggesting that the finale feels forced. The Times is somewhat more positive.
