Jude Law's portrayal of Vladimir Putin in French director Olivier Assayas' film The Wizard of the Kremlin has sparked controversy over its depiction of the Russian president. While Law claims to have not feared repercussions from his performance, it appears that he may be right for all the wrong reasons.
In reality, the film presents a flattering and mythologized version of Putin, aligning closely with the narratives promoted by the Russian media. This image is one of a perfect leader, devoid of age or mistakes, who always knows more than he reveals. He is framed as a hero who "saves" Russia from chaos.
This portrayal is not unique to The Wizard of the Kremlin. Other recent examples in Russian cinema and television have also perpetuated this myth, including TV series like Chronicles of the Russian Revolution. In these narratives, Putin's character is often depicted as an omnipotent figure who never appears on screen, but whose presence is signalled through portraits or calls "from above".
Interestingly, the film does attempt to subvert some of these myths by framing Putin as a symptom rather than a cause, and shifting its focus towards the political machinery around him. However, even this approach feels somewhat compromised, particularly in its handling of Putin's biography.
Contrary to popular belief, Putin was not "recruited" from the KGB like a secret agent. In reality, he spent most of his time as a low-level clerk who handled paperwork and technical tasks, rather than engaging in actual operations. The image of him as a powerful spy has been largely manufactured, with claims about his recruitment work during his KGB years in Dresden being later additions to the broader mythology surrounding him.
The film also glosses over Putin's role in Russian politics, failing to depict the mass protests, opposition, or Alexei Navalny that have shaped his presidency. This omission is likely to be seen as a blessing by the Kremlin, which will stop at nothing to promote its own propaganda.
Ultimately, The Wizard of the Kremlin represents a welcome shift towards a more nuanced portrayal of Putin in Western cinema. However, it also feels somewhat compromised, particularly in its failure to challenge some of the most enduring myths surrounding his presidency.
In reality, the film presents a flattering and mythologized version of Putin, aligning closely with the narratives promoted by the Russian media. This image is one of a perfect leader, devoid of age or mistakes, who always knows more than he reveals. He is framed as a hero who "saves" Russia from chaos.
This portrayal is not unique to The Wizard of the Kremlin. Other recent examples in Russian cinema and television have also perpetuated this myth, including TV series like Chronicles of the Russian Revolution. In these narratives, Putin's character is often depicted as an omnipotent figure who never appears on screen, but whose presence is signalled through portraits or calls "from above".
Interestingly, the film does attempt to subvert some of these myths by framing Putin as a symptom rather than a cause, and shifting its focus towards the political machinery around him. However, even this approach feels somewhat compromised, particularly in its handling of Putin's biography.
Contrary to popular belief, Putin was not "recruited" from the KGB like a secret agent. In reality, he spent most of his time as a low-level clerk who handled paperwork and technical tasks, rather than engaging in actual operations. The image of him as a powerful spy has been largely manufactured, with claims about his recruitment work during his KGB years in Dresden being later additions to the broader mythology surrounding him.
The film also glosses over Putin's role in Russian politics, failing to depict the mass protests, opposition, or Alexei Navalny that have shaped his presidency. This omission is likely to be seen as a blessing by the Kremlin, which will stop at nothing to promote its own propaganda.
Ultimately, The Wizard of the Kremlin represents a welcome shift towards a more nuanced portrayal of Putin in Western cinema. However, it also feels somewhat compromised, particularly in its failure to challenge some of the most enduring myths surrounding his presidency.
like the film is trying to be accurate but imo it's just a movie, what do u expect? russian media can be super biased too 
and btw who says Putin has no flaws or mistakes 
he's been in power for ages so there gotta be some kinda human side right? 
like I know some people are gonna say it's flattering but I mean come on it's still pretty much perpetuating that whole Putin-as-a-perfect-leader vibe from russian media... and can we talk about how they glossed over his actual presidency? like what about all those protests and opposition movements? didn't they wanna show that side of him at all? 
. Like, we know he wasn't just some super spy who saved Russia from chaos 
. And what's up with the omission of all the opposition and protests? That feels like a major plot hole to me.
. It's not like they're taking a real risk by subverting some of the myths surrounding Putin. And have you seen some of these other Russian TV shows and films? They're all just perpetuating this same myth that Putin is some kind of infallible leader 
.
, but can we at least have a more honest conversation about Putin and his presidency? 
! 70%+ consistently throughout his term is unheard of for any leader, let alone one with as much controversy as he has. And it's not just Russia - his global influence and media persona have been steadily increasing since the early 2000s 
! It's no wonder he's become so skilled at manipulating public perception and shaping his own mythology 
, where dey glorify a leader like Putin, makin him seem like a hero or sumthin 
. i guess its a step in da right direction, but we need more nuance, y'feel? 
We need more than just a glossy film that reinforces the status quo. We need some tough love and hard truths. 
. I mean, come on, the guy was just a low-level clerk for years before becoming president? That's not exactly the stuff of legend. And don't even get me started on the KGB recruitment thing 
. I'm not saying it was easy to get accurate depictions of world leaders in biopics, but this one feels like a missed opportunity.
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. and yeah, glossing over all the protests and opposition is pretty sketchy.
. Can't they show us his flaws and mistakes too, you know? 
. I mean, come on, if you're gonna make a movie about someone, at least try to get the facts straight, right? 
. And come on, Putin was not some kind of KGB spy 
. Still, it's an interesting take on Putin in Western cinema