Putin as a Russian James Bond? Jude Law's Vladimir film seems to have swallowed Kremlin myths | Natasha Kiseleva

Jude Law's portrayal of Vladimir Putin in the latest film adaptation of "The Wizard of the Kremlin" has sparked debate over whether the Russian president is being accurately depicted on screen. However, experts argue that the film actually reinforces the mythologized version of Putin promoted by the Russian media.

The film frames Putin as a perfect leader who emerged from nowhere and took control of Russia due to his exceptional qualities. In reality, it was oligarch Berezovsky and other powerful figures who played a key role in selecting him as the next president. According to Roman Badanin, a journalist who has studied Putin's biography, "Berezovsky was a political animal who wanted someone the public would understand, preferably from the security services."

The film shows no mass protests or opposition, which is a significant omission given the events of 2011-2019 in Russia. However, by omitting these scenes, the filmmakers have inadvertently provided a propaganda boost for the Kremlin.

Interestingly, the image of Putin as a powerful KGB spy may be largely fabricated. His actual role during his time at the KGB was likely more mundane, handling paperwork and technical tasks rather than engaging in high-stakes operations.

The film's attempt to subvert this myth by depicting Vadim Baranov as the true power behind the throne has also been criticized for being overly simplistic. While Baranov may have played a significant role in shaping Putin's early career, his influence is likely to be overstated in the film.

Overall, Jude Law's portrayal of Putin in "The Wizard of the Kremlin" has sparked debate over whether it accurately represents the Russian president or reinforces the mythologized version promoted by the Russian media.
 
omg i just saw this film and i'm like totally confused 🀯 is judes law really portraying putin as some kinda superhero? πŸ€” idk if its accurate, but i feel like theyre reinforcing that whole myth about him being a mysterious figure who just took over russia πŸ’ͺ its not like he actually rose to power with no one's help. and what about all the protests and stuff that went down in 2011-2019? πŸ€¦β€β™€οΈ why didnt they include those scenes in the film? πŸ“Ί i mean, i guess the filmmakers just wanted to show putin as some kinda strong leader, but like, isnt that not fair to real people who actually had a say in his rise to power? 🀝
 
I'm kinda disappointed with this movie adaptation - it feels like they're perpetuating this whole 'Putin as a messianic figure' narrative that Russia's been trying to sell us for years. I mean, we all know how that story went down in real life... oligarch Berezovsky and others basically handpicked him as the next president. It's just not that dramatic or mysterious.

And don't even get me started on the mass protests thing - it's like they're trying to whitewash Putin's entire time in power. The films shows these 'perfect' scenes where everyone is united behind Putin, which isn't exactly true... there were some major opposition movements and protests back in 2011-2019.

I'm also not buying the whole KGB spy thing - I mean, we've been told that before too. It's always some watered-down version of his actual job, where he was just handling paperwork and stuff. And as for Baranov being the true power behind Putin... yeah, it feels like a simplification.

I think what really got me was how they're still trying to make this all look super heroic and perfect. Like, come on - we've seen the real Putin's moves... not exactly 'heroic'. Maybe next time they should take a more nuanced approach? πŸ€”
 
I think this movie is actually doing the Russian people a huge favor lol πŸ˜‚. I mean, who needs accurate representation of reality when you can have a feel-good story about a 'perfect' leader? It's all about escapism and promoting positive vibes, right? And let's be real, if Putin was really as villainous as they're making him out to be, the filmmakers wouldn't be able to get away with depicting him in such a flattering light πŸ€‘. The fact that they left out those 'mass protests' scenes is probably because they didn't want to scare off their audience, you know? It's all about keeping it family-friendly and entertaining!
 
I don't think this movie would pass scrutiny if it was made about a Western leader... πŸ€” I mean, can you imagine a film that portrays Biden or Macron as some kind of mysterious figure who just 'emerged' to save the day? It's like we expect our leaders to be superheroes. In reality, they're human beings with flaws and weaknesses.

The film's portrayal of Putin as this perfect leader is problematic because it doesn't reflect the complexities of Russian politics... πŸ•΅οΈβ€β™‚οΈ especially during that time period. I'd love to see a more nuanced depiction of power struggles in Russia, not just some simplistic narrative about one person pulling the strings.

I also don't buy the idea that Putin's role in the KGB was super high-stakes... πŸ˜’ He probably just did his paperwork and stuff like everyone else. It's not fair to put him on a pedestal for something he might have done in a completely normal way.

The omission of mass protests is huge, though... πŸ€·β€β™‚οΈ that's what really matters when it comes to understanding Putin's rise to power. This film feels more like a propaganda piece than a genuine attempt at telling the story.
 
I think its kinda weird that they left out all those protests and opposition scenes from 2011-2019, thats like a big chunk of his time as president... πŸ€”πŸ“Ί

And I dont get why they made Baranov seem so powerful in the film, he probably just helped Putin with some paperwork lol.

I also feel like its unfair to say that the film is accurately depicting Putin when its clear they took alot of creative liberties 🎬
 
I'm low-key disappointed with this new movie about Putin πŸ€”πŸŽ₯. I mean, we know Russia's got a lot of control over its media, but come on, can't they do better than just painting him as this perfect leader who suddenly shows up? In reality, it was Berezovsky and others who chose him for the job, and that's not exactly a glowing endorsement πŸ€·β€β™‚οΈ.

And don't even get me started on how they left out all those protests in 2011-2019... that's like, super significant stuff πŸ˜’. But I guess if you want to give the Kremlin some positive PR, it's not hard to do πŸ™„.

The part about Putin being a KGB spy is also kinda sketchy... I mean, he probably did some paperwork and tech stuff, but high-stakes operations? πŸ”πŸ‘€ Not buying it.

The film's tryin' to subvert that myth by makin' Vadim Baranov the real brains behind the operation, but I think they're oversimplifying things πŸ€”. There's gotta be more to it than just "Baranov is the smart one" πŸ™„.
 
I feel like this movie is giving a bad rep to Putin. I mean, he wasn't just some hero who came out of nowhere. It's kinda weird that they left out all the protests and stuff from 2011-2019. That was some crazy times in Russia.

And omg have you heard about Putin's actual job at KGB? Like, paperwork? That doesn't sound very heroic to me πŸ˜‚. I don't think it's fair to the real people who were involved in his career.

I'm also not sure why they made Vadim Baranov seem like the big cheese behind Putin's throne. It feels a bit too simplistic to me. Maybe they should've done more research before making this movie πŸ€”.
 
omg u guys i just saw this movie & idk what to think lol. they're saying that the film is like a total propaganda piece for putin & that's so true 🀣 but on the other hand, jude law's portrayal is kinda perfect lol. i mean, he does look like putin right? but seriously, it's wild how the film omits all these protests & opposition events from 2011-2019 in russia... u think they did that to make putin look even more powerful & untouchable πŸš«πŸ‘Š
 
I'm low-key surprised they didn't include those protests in the movie πŸ€”πŸ‘€. It feels like they're tryin' to paint Putin as this all-powerful figure, but we all know it's not that simple πŸ’ͺ. I mean, Berezovsky was like the real OG behind Putin's rise, right? πŸ€‘πŸ•΅οΈβ€β™‚οΈ The film's tryin' to humanize Putin, but instead it's just perpetuatin' the myth πŸ€·β€β™‚οΈ. And what's up with Vadim Baranov being all powerful in the KGB? That feels like a super exaggeration πŸ˜’πŸ“. Overall, I think they missed the mark a bit, but still, Jude Law looks πŸ”₯ as Putin! πŸ‘Š
 
πŸ€” I'm watching this movie and I gotta say, it feels like we're back in that whole "Band Aid" era with Putin - you know, when everyone was singing his praises and he was like this super-efficient leader? 🎢 Now it's 2025 and we see the same thing happening on screen... I mean, come on, didn't we learn anything from "The Wizard of Oz"? That whole "perfect leader" vibe just doesn't sit right with me. And what about all those protests in Russia? Did they just conveniently disappear like magic or something? πŸ€·β€β™‚οΈ It's all a bit too... scripted for my taste, you know?
 
I'm like totally divided about this whole thing πŸ€”. On one hand, I think it's awesome that Jude Law is taking on Putin and giving him a chance to shine on screen – even if he does look kinda smug in those scenes πŸ˜’. But at the same time, I'm really frustrated with how the film portrays the way Putin came to power – like, it's totally glossed over the actual roles of people like Berezovsky πŸ€·β€β™€οΈ.

And can we talk about how they left out all the protests and stuff from 2011-2019? That's a major omission, you know? It feels like they're trying to paint Putin as this superpower figure who just emerged out of nowhere – but in reality, it was way more complicated than that πŸ’”.

Plus, I'm not even sure if the film is really saying anything new about Putin's role at the KGB... maybe he did handle some paperwork and technical stuff πŸ“? But the part with Vadim Baranov being the "real" power behind the throne? That feels kinda oversimplified to me 🀯.
 
I gotta say, this whole thing is like a Russian nesting doll – every time you think you're peeling back the layers, another layer comes out and makes everything more complicated 🀯. Like, what's up with Putin's KGB days? Was he actually a high-stakes spy or just filing paperwork like us when we were in uni πŸ“? And Vadim Baranov being the real brains behind the operation? Sounds like some Russian "The Godfather" vibes to me πŸŽ₯. But seriously, can't they just show some of those protests and opposition scenes they're always talking about? It's like they're trying to make Putin look like a total dictator... but honestly, who wouldn't want to be in charge of Russia with all that cash and resources πŸ’Έ?
 
I'm not sure I buy into this whole 'Jude Law as a savior' thing. Like, have you seen the film? He's just kinda...there. And what about all those oligarchs who were totally in charge behind the scenes? It feels like they're glossing over some major stuff to make Putin look more heroic. I mean, didn't Russia go through some pretty wild protests and stuff during that time? And what's with the KGB spy myth? Like, we know he was just a normal guy doing paperwork...it doesn't exactly scream 'high-stakes operations'.
 
I'm loving this drama around Jude Law's latest role 🀯! It's crazy how a film can spark so much debate about politics and history. I mean, who knew that Putin's rise to power was more about oligarchs like Berezovsky than some magical exceptional qualities πŸ˜‚. And honestly, can you imagine watching the 2011-2019 protests in Russia on screen? That would've been super intense! 🀯

But what I find really interesting is how the film inadvertently gave Putin's regime a propaganda boost by glossing over those massive protests and opposition scenes. It's like, hello, that's some serious omission right there πŸ™…β€β™‚οΈ.

I'm also not buying the KGB spy vibe as much as people make it out to be πŸ€”. I mean, we're talking about a guy who handled paperwork and technical tasks, not high-stakes spy missions πŸ“.

And lastly, Vadim Baranov's supposed influence on Putin's early career? Overstated, for sure πŸ‘Š. The film just simplifies things too much, you know?

Anyway, this whole thing has me thinking - how can we separate fact from fiction when it comes to our leaders and their stories πŸ€”? Food for thought!
 
idk why they even bothered making a movie about this dude... like, come on, he didn't just magically become president lol πŸ€£πŸ‘€ Putin's rise to power was super complex and involved a lot of people behind the scenes... it's not just some simplistic story of good vs evil πŸ’ͺπŸ½πŸ•΅οΈβ€β™‚οΈ. and can we talk about how they completely left out all the protests and opposition in Russia πŸ€·β€β™€οΈ? that's like, totally ignored by the film... which is pretty messed up if you ask me πŸ˜’
 
I can imagine how frustrating that must be for you. The fact that they're not showing the whole story and just portraying Putin as a perfect leader is really disappointing. I mean, it's like they're glossing over all the hard stuff. πŸ€·β€β™‚οΈ It's like they want us to think he's this superhero figure or something, but really he's just a person with his own flaws and mistakes.

And you know what's even more annoying? When people start believing that mythologized version of him without even questioning it. Like, come on, we should be critical of our leaders and not just accept whatever they want us to think. 🀯 It's like we're being fed this narrative and nobody's really checking the facts.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that I totally get why experts are saying that the film reinforces the mythologized version of Putin, because it's true. We need more nuanced portrayals of our leaders, you know? Something that shows the complexities and challenges they face. πŸ€”
 
I watched this movie and I gotta say, I was kinda disappointed with how it portrayed Putin πŸ€”. I mean, the film makes him out to be like a total superhero who just magically took over Russia πŸ’ͺ. But in reality, he only got that power because of some big-time oligarchs like Berezovsky πŸ€‘. It's all about the behind-the-scenes politics and stuff.

And you know what really bugged me? They left out all those crazy protests and opposition movements from 2011-2019 🚫. I mean, come on, can't they show some real Russia for once? πŸ˜‚ But at the same time, it's good that they're trying to subvert the myth of Putin being a KGB spy mastermind πŸ•΅οΈβ€β™‚οΈ.

I'm not sure if Jude Law's performance is bad or good, but I do think the film oversimplifies things for the sake of drama πŸŽ₯. It's like, Vadim Baranov might have played a role in Putin's early career and all, but it's not like he was the real puppet master πŸ‘‘.

Anyway, it's always interesting to see how Western media portrays Russian politics πŸ€“. I guess you can't win 'em all, right? πŸŽ‰
 
I'm so done with this film 🀯! I mean, come on, a movie about Putin and it doesn't even mention the whole oligarch thing? Like, what's next? A biopic about Donald Trump where he just magically becomes president because of his amazing hair? πŸ’‡β€β™‚οΈ The fact that they left out all the protests and opposition is wild. It's like they're trying to make Putin sound like some kind of superhero πŸ¦Έβ€β™‚οΈ, but we all know the truth. And don't even get me started on the KGB thing... I mean, it's not exactly a conspiracy theory to say that Putin's role was more about paperwork than espionage πŸ˜‚. Can't we just get a nuanced portrayal of power and politics for once? πŸ€”
 
lol what a joke 🀣 this film is total propaganda πŸ“Ί dont even get me started on how they just glossed over all the major protests and opposition in Russia like wut πŸ™„ and omg who thought it was a good idea to portray Putin as some kinda super spy πŸ•΅οΈβ€β™‚οΈ apparently the filmmakers are clueless πŸ€¦β€β™‚οΈ I mean come on its not that hard to do some actual research πŸ‘€ and btw what's up with the Baranov character tho πŸ€” trying to pass him off as the real puppet master behind Putin is so oversimplified πŸ™„
 
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