Please read: an important update about this website before the review of “The Wizard of the Kremlin” (2026)

I’m returning to this site’s roots: brief, no-frills reviews for people on the run. Originally, that meant a short synopsis plus 1-2 paragraphs of thoughts—but over time, reviews grew longer. Since retirement has somehow made me busier, I’m going back to basics to save us both time. Hopefully you won’t be disappointed—it’ll help you quickly decide if a movie’s worth watching. Comment below if you’d like! Now, on to the (very)brief review!

Synopsis: The Wizard of the Kremlin depicts the journey of a disillusioned consultant who aids a climbing KGB agent, Vladimir Putin, in rebuilding Russia using manipulation and force. This production features Jude Law and Paul Dano.

Paul Dano and Jude Law were very good in their roles, and the atmosphere of the 1990s era came across as authentic. The theme—the exploration of political power and corruption—was good. However, I was pretty bored by it all. It seemed like an objective description of the events and never really drew me in or engaged me. And the script relied on the main character narrating all the way through, which I find irritating in a film. I’d say if you’re interested in this period of history, give it a go. Otherwise, give it a miss.