It is the weakest of the 3 Tulse Luper films (there's too much of a rush to end the story compared to the first 2 parts) but nonetheless is essential viewing. The denoument makes up for any of the flaws in this film.
It took my third viewing for the film to finally elicit an emotional response from me. Seeing it on the big screen no doubt helped me to be swept up in the movement and grandeur. Seeing the film simply for its (justly lauded) technical feats is, I think, missing the point. It is a love letter to the ghosts of history. A reminder that architecture and objects are nothing without the people that haunt them. A glorious affirmation of life yet also a cautionary tale. Exhilirating, funny, richly meditative and melancholy. A more than passing knowledge of Russian history will no doubt assist your enjoyment of the film.