The Kremlin’s Magician 2K starts with an intriguing premise: to narrate the rise of post-Soviet Russia through the eyes of a man who remained in the shadows of power. However, Olivier Assayas takes too long to get to the heart of the story. The lengthy introduction dedicated to the private life of the protagonist, played by Paul Dano, slows down the pace and ends up weighing down a narrative that should focus on the country’s political transformations.

