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The Wizard Of The Kremlin - Jennie Kermode - 20227

The Wizard of the Kremlin, directed by Olivier Assayas, adapts Giuliano da Empoli’s novel into a political thriller that follows a Surkov‑like figure recounting his rise alongside Vladimir Putin. Paul Dano delivers a deliberately flat performance, while the film rushes through key events from 1990s Moscow to the early 2020s. Production choices, such as inconsistent accents and costuming, undermine authenticity, though Alicia Vikander’s role stands out. The movie attempts to blend Cold‑War intrigue with contemporary Russian power dynamics, but its pacing sacrifices depth for checklist‑style storytelling.