Film Review – The Wizard of the Kremlin (2025)

      The Wizard of the Kremlin, 2025.

      Directed by Olivier Assayas.

      Featuring Paul Dano, Jude Law, Alicia Vikander, Tom Sturridge, Will Keen, and Jeffrey Wright.

      SYNOPSIS:

      Set in early 1990s Russia, amidst the turmoil following the collapse of the Soviet Union, a brilliant young man named Vadim Baranov navigates his journey. Beginning as an artist and later transitioning to a reality TV producer, he becomes the spin doctor for an emerging KGB agent: Vladimir Putin. At the center of power, Baranov influences the new Russia, blending truth with deceit and faith with manipulation. The only person he cannot control is the captivating Ksenia, who lures him away from this perilous game. Years later, having retreated into obscurity and surrounded by mystery, Baranov finally reveals the dark truths behind the regime he helped establish.

      While it might appear that the casting of Paul Dano as Vadim Baranov (a politically astute figure inspired by Vladislav Surkov, albeit with some creative adjustments) and Jude Law as Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin in co-writer/director Olivier Assayas’ dialogue-heavy political drama The Wizard of the Kremlin (based on a novel by Giuliano da Empoli and written alongside Emmanuel Carrère) would lead to a distracting misstep, the real problem lies in the film’s lack of ambition, merely chronicling historical events from what it clearly indicates is a fictional character’s viewpoint.

      In the aftermath of the Soviet Union's fall and into the 1990s, Vadim—and Russian society—experiences an unprecedented taste of freedom and democracy, naturally gravitating towards the arts. At a wild party featuring Ksenia, played by Alicia Vikander, who performs provocative art, Vadim expresses that he typically finds people uninteresting but feels differently about her. As they quickly become a couple and invest in the vibrant Moscow art scene, Ksenia is drawn back to Vadim’s elite, financially motivated friend Dmitri (Tom Sturridge), leading her to distance herself. This suits Vadim, as he aims higher, first entering the realm of reality TV production and later politics, positioning KGB Agent Vladimir Putin—who had yet to consider the Prime Minister role—as the ideal candidate to take control of a society in upheaval. In essence, this suggests that democracy is fleeting, with one man becoming the architect of a ruthless regime.

      The narrative unfolds through flashbacks, with Vadim recounting his life story to an American professor in Moscow (Jeffrey Wright). This superfluous plot device seems designed to build toward a supposed climactic moment, yet it merely adds unnecessary length to an already verbose film. The filmmakers inexplicably choose to present the story in an exceptionally tedious manner, preferring lengthy dialogues over a more dynamic depiction of the ruthless political landscape.

      The story portrays Vadim as having no current ties to Vladimir Putin, revealing his secrets and reflecting on his decisions in search of moral redemption, which ultimately lacks engagement for several reasons. Paul Dano’s performance is disappointingly flat, and the film’s structure—which features noticeable fade-to-black transitions as if intended for TV commercial breaks—doesn’t offer him ample material to work with.

      A film titled The Wizard of the Kremlin should provide its main character with more compelling action behind the scenes rather than monotonous exposition and explanations. Moreover, Vadim being primarily a fictional character detracts from the narrative, with Jude Law's portrayal of Vladimir Putin being more intriguing, despite the inherent flaws of stunt casting. Although there are a few Russian actors present, the film feels more distinctly American or British than anything else, which is perplexing given its French origins. Nevertheless, Jude Law delivers a suitably cold and detached performance.

      There is extensive discussion about the unscrupulous maneuvers Vadim employs to maintain Vladimir Putin’s unassailable public image, yet these elements lack cinematic flair and often condense extensive time periods into brief segments. As the story progresses, it increasingly resembles a Wikipedia entry come to life, which is odd given that it revolves around a fictional character based on a real individual. By the time Ksenia reenters Vadim’s life, he is attempting to confront his choices, framed as a conflict between art and politics that could have been engaging had it not fallen within the final 20 minutes of the film. The Wizard of the Kremlin offers little in terms of drama. It also starts with minimal impact.

      Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★

      Robert Kojder