Tsar (2009)
-
76% of users liked it
(138 ratings)
The grim rule of Ivan the Terrible and his stranglehold over religion and politics sets the stage for this historical drama from director Pavel Lungin. In the mid-16th century, Ivan IV (Pyotr Mamonov) is the Tsar of Russia, and rules the nation with an iron fist; obsessed with order and keeping his… More The grim rule of Ivan the Terrible and his stranglehold over religion and politics sets the stage for this historical drama from director Pavel Lungin. In the mid-16th century, Ivan IV (Pyotr Mamonov) is the Tsar of Russia, and rules the nation with an iron fist; obsessed with order and keeping his enemies down, Ivan and his equally despotic wife Maria Temryukovna (Ramilya Iskander) have a elite team of secret police at their disposal known as "The Tsar's Dogs," but Ivan also believes the last days are near and that God will judge him harshly. When the leader of the Russian Orthodox church leaves his post in disgust with Ivan's policies, he calls on Filipp (Oleg Yankovsky), a priest and close confidant, to take over the position; Filipp agrees, but it soon becomes clear that Ivan expects Filipp's first loyalty to be to with him rather than the church or his parishioners, and as Ivan's leadership becomes more extreme and his behavior unstable, Filipp must rethink his allegiances even if it means risking his life. Tsar received its world premiere at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Directed By
- Pavel Lungin
- Written By
- Aleksei Ivanov
- Genres
- Art House & International, Drama
- In Theaters
- Dec 31, 2009 Wide
Critic Reviews
-
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com
This Russian epic about Ivan the Terrible offers a new angle and has other merits, but inevitable comparisons will be made with maestro Eisenstein classic version.
See more critic ratings and reviews on Rotten Tomatoes
Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)
Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)
No Featured Audience Ratings Found…
Currently unavailable on Flixster