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The Wizard of the Kremlin

Play trailer The Wizard of the Kremlin 2025 2h 36m Drama Mystery & Thriller History Play Trailer Watchlist
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46% Tomatometer 24 Reviews Popcornmeter 0 Ratings
Russia, early 1990s. Amid post-Soviet chaos, a brilliant young man, Vadim Baranov, charts his path. First an artist, then a reality TV producer, he becomes the spin doctor to a rising KGB agent: Vladimir Putin. At the heart of power, Baranov shapes the new Russia, blurring the boundaries between truth and lies, belief and manipulation. Only the magnetic Ksenia is beyond his control, tempting him away from this dangerous game. Years later, after retreating into silence and shrouded in mystery, Baranov finally opens up, revealing the dark secrets of the regime he helped build.

Critics Reviews

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Bilge Ebiri New York Magazine/Vulture Only a director genuinely interested in people, in the ways they move and look and talk, could do proper justice to a story like this Sep 3, 2025 Full Review Jordan Mintzer The Hollywood Reporter The Wizard of the Kremlin can feel like a six-hour miniseries screened at 1.5x speed, so much does it zip around to try and tell the full story. Aug 31, 2025 Full Review Ryan Lattanzio IndieWire “The Wizard of the Kremlin” operates at a slow burn to chart the banality of evil, though the film could stand to be more pissed off, with a little more venom in its veins, to stir us, maybe not up in arms, but at least up in our seats. Rated: C+ Aug 31, 2025 Full Review Ross Bonaime Collider Despite a brilliant Jude Law as Putin, The Wizard of the Kremlin finds a way to drain the excitement out of one of the most terrifying shifts in a country in modern history. Rated: 4/10 Sep 7, 2025 Full Review Chris Bumbray JoBlo's Movie Network The performances are good, but it feels like a miniseries that's been cut down to feature length. Sep 6, 2025 Full Review Graeme Guttmann Screen Rant Despite a stellar cast and interesting premise, The Wizard of the Kremlin is a rote glimpse into the inner-workings of Russian politics. Sep 6, 2025 Full Review Read all reviews

Cast & Crew

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Olivier Assayas

Director

Paul Dano

Actor

Jude Law

Actor

Alicia Vikander

Actor

Tom Sturridge

Actor

Jeffrey Wright

Actor
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The Wizard of the Kremlin

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Movie Info

Synopsis Russia, early 1990s. Amid post-Soviet chaos, a brilliant young man, Vadim Baranov, charts his path. First an artist, then a reality TV producer, he becomes the spin doctor to a rising KGB agent: Vladimir Putin. At the heart of power, Baranov shapes the new Russia, blurring the boundaries between truth and lies, belief and manipulation. Only the magnetic Ksenia is beyond his control, tempting him away from this dangerous game. Years later, after retreating into silence and shrouded in mystery, Baranov finally opens up, revealing the dark secrets of the regime he helped build.
Director
Olivier Assayas
Producer
Olivier Assayas
Screenwriter
Olivier Assayas, Emmanuel Carrère
Genre
Drama, Mystery & Thriller, History
Original Language
English
Runtime
2h 36m