← Back to results
The Wizard of the Kremlin
Le mage du Kremlin
2026 136 min France, United Kingdom, United States of America R 18+
★5.9
Drama
Director: Olivier Assayas
🎭 Based on
«The Wizard of the Kremlin»
byGiuliano da Empoli
Trailers
EN
EN
EN
Teaser
Description
In the chaos of post-Soviet Russia, rising KGB officer Vladimir Putin joins forces with master manipulator Vadim Baranov to reshape life behind the Iron Curtain, using violence and deception to change the world forever.
Worldwide:
$7.61M
Starring
Paul Dano
Actor
Alicia Vikander
Actor
Tom Sturridge
Actor
Awards
Venice Film Festival 2025
— Golden Lion
Key opinion
Le mage du Kremlin is a largely disappointing political drama that fails to translate its complex source material into a compelling cinematic experience. Critics and audiences alike find the narrative superficial and the central performances lacking in the necessary depth to ground such a high-stakes political history.
| Screenplay | The reliance on constant, clunky voice-over narration makes the film feel overly expository rather than immersive. | |
| Theme | The narrative remains disappointingly superficial, failing to probe the complexities of the political events it depicts. | |
| Acting | Paul Dano fails to bring enough nuance or menace to his role as a power broker, resulting in a bland and unconvincing performance. | |
| Screenplay | The inclusion of a romantic subplot feels entirely unnecessary and distracts from the political core of the story. | |
| Acting | Jude Law’s performance divides opinion, with some viewing his portrayal of Putin as little more than a superficial physical imitation. | |
| Pacing | Views on the film's structure are split between those who find it a boring, sterile slog and those who feel it moves through its historical beats with brisk, if shallow, efficiency. |