Brilliant actors and half-baked script. Paul Dano becomes Vladimir Putin’s confidant.
On February 24, 2022, Russia under President Vladimir Putin (73) began its war of aggression against Ukraine. Since then, the conflict has captivated the world and inspired numerous award-winning documentaries. This year, “A Nobody Against Putin” won the Oscar. In 2024, the award was given to “20 Days in Mariupol,” a harrowing documentary about the people’s struggle for survival in the eastern Ukrainian port city.
A year earlier, “Navalny,” the portrait of Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny, won the Academy Award. The film world also takes up the topic in the fictional area: “The Magician in the Kremlin” tries to shed light on the power apparatus around Putin in film, but falls short of expectations despite a well-known cast.
Scene from “The Magician in the Kremlin”
What the film is about
The film is based on the novel of the same name by Italian author Giuliano Da Empoli. The main character, Vadim Baranov, is based on Vladislav Yuryevich Surkov – a Russian intellectual, theater director and author who is considered the ideological architect of Vladimir Putin’s power apparatus.
An American journalist, played by Jeffrey Wright, meets the reclusive power strategist at his remote country estate. There, Baranov tells him how he has become one of Putin’s most trusted advisors.
Scene from “The Magician in the Kremlin”
Ambitious but unbalanced
“The Magician in the Kremlin” tells the story of Baranov’s life, from his beginnings at art school in the 1980s to the 2010s, in which he played an active role in the political and cultural restoration of modern Russia. The film is an ambitious work that attempts to impressively capture the different eras of Russian history, but with varying degrees of success.
While the beginning is slow, the film picks up significantly once the plot arrives in the 1990s. During this phase, Baranov works for the influential oligarch Boris Berezovsky (Will Keen) and is increasingly targeted by Vladimir Putin (Jude Law). Together they pave the way for Putin’s rise to the presidency, ushering in a new political era that clearly distinguishes itself from the Boris Yeltsin era.
Scene from “The Magician in the Kremlin”
Script with weaknesses
The French director Olivier Assayas delivers an impeccably crafted production, but the unbalanced script remains the film’s biggest weakness. “The Magician in the Kremlin” is a dialogue-heavy drama that relies heavily on explanatory dialogues. Instead of trusting the story and the characters, the film constantly leads its audience by the hand and explains what would be visible anyway – a stylistic device that soon becomes tiring.
The love story between Baranov and the narcissistic Ksenia (Alicia Vikander) never seems particularly convincing. The film is at its strongest when political actors negotiate the future of democracy. A scene from the 2010s that illustrates the manipulation by online bots and disinformation is particularly impressive. Although Putin is not the center of the plot, his appearances are among the moments in which the film is particularly captivating.
Strong cast
Jude Law is completely convincing as Vladimir Putin: with his lower lip sticking out contemptuously, he observes those he disregards while, together with Baranov, he designs the foundations of an autocratic system. His performance remains much more than mere imitation – like many of his colleagues, Law forgoes a Russian accent and instead gets to the core of the character. He manages to capture the cool distance and power instinct of a man who shows no interest in pleasantries or small talk. His goal: seizing and maintaining power.
Paul Dano plays the strategist Baranov convincingly, but his character is not nearly as complex as Putin, so Dano often remains in the shadow of the charismatic antagonist. Oscar winner Alicia Vikander scores in the role of Ksenia, while Jeffrey Wright’s talent goes unused as his character has little to do. In a supporting role, Will Keen delivers a strong performance as oligarch Boris Berezovsky.
Conclusion
“The Magician in the Kremlin” certainly has strong moments, but the overall impression remains unbalanced. A more precise script would have benefited the film. The acting, however, is convincing and is the highlight of the film.
3 out of 5 Oscar-ready defiant lower lips