The film portrays the life and assassination of Russian journalist Anna Politkovskaya, known for her critical journalism against the Kremlin and Vladimir Putin. Though it honors her legacy, the film's execution is criticized as formulaic and overly sentimental, missing deeper nuances of her character and implications of her work. It also faces disapproval from Politkovskaya's family for its characterization of her personal relationships, with peripheral characters being more compelling than the protagonist's depiction. The film aims to highlight the dangers faced by journalists and serves as a reflection on current global repression.
The film deserves respect for the subject matter, but it sticks too closely to clichés and lacks dynamic storytelling when depicting Politkovskaya’s life.
Politkovskaya remains a folk hero worldwide for her resistance to autocracy, which is particularly resonant given the current rise in repression against journalists.
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