Tsar by Alexey Ivanov Movie Review

“Tsar” Movie Review
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Tsar is a 2009 film written by Alexey Ivanov, directed by Pavel Lungin, produced by Olga Vasilieva and Pavel Lungin, and edited by Albina Antipenko. The 116-minute long film was shot by U.S. cinematographer Tom Stern, starring Pyotr Mamonov as Ivan the Terrible and Oleg Yankovsky as Metropolitan Philip Kolychev. Tsar was filmed on location in the village of Suzdal, mostly in and around the impressive Monastery of the Holy Jevfimiev and on the banks of the Kamenka River. In composing the plot of his film, Pavel Lungin had unrestricted freedom to use secondary works and primary sources regarding the reign of Ivan the Terrible (1533-1584) and Philip (Metropolitan/Head of the Russian Orthodox Church), who was assassinated at his command and later beatified, as he wished. Lungin chose whatever interpretations and facts that presented Ivan as an insane tyrant whose reign was destructive for Russia.[. Halperin, Charles J. "Ivan the Terrible returns to the silver screen: Pavel Lungin's film Tsar." Studies in Russian and Soviet Cinema 7, no. 1 (2013): 61-72.]
Tsar falls under the genre of historical epic. It is a colored film whose photography and production values are impressive. The film is divided into four Chapters. Chapter one is Tsar’s prayer whereby we see Tsar praying in his cell, asking the Lord to give him a sign. Chapter two is Tsar at war whereby Philip’s nephew fights in a bloody battle against the Lithuanians and Poles at Polotsk. Chapter three is Tsar’s anger whereby the Tsar orders judgment upon the governor by Metropolitan Philip, and the governor&...