Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Brutal
- oppressive
- solemn
- harrowing
- serious film night
- historical cinema marathon
What critics said
Critics and viewers broadly recognize a grand, serious historical drama carried by powerful lead performances and political allegory, though its severe intensity limits its accessibility.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Ivan interprets his absolute power and terror as part of a holy mission and approaching Last Judgment.
The film’s sixteenth-century reign of terror is explicitly presented as an allegory of Stalinist Russia.
Ivan and Philip’s friendship develops into a clash between mystical tyranny and spiritual resistance.
The film is described as grand-scale and stages Ivan’s rule through religious and authoritarian spectacle.
Films like Tsar, and why
Andrei Rublev
historical drama centered on authoritarian power, religious conviction, and moral resistance
The Passion of Joan of Arc
oppressive historical atmosphere, spiritual conflict, and psychologically intense leadership drama
The Death of Stalin
political allegory using a brutal historical ruler to examine tyranny and ideology
Movie Details
- Director
- Pavel Lungin
- Release Date
- 2009-11-04
- Runtime
- 119 min
- Rating
- 6.0 / 10 (60)
Cast
- Pyotr Mamonov
- Oleg Yankovskiy
- Alexandr Domogarov
- Ivan Okhlobystin
- Yuriy Kuznetsov
- Aleksey Makarov
- Aleksandr Ilyin Jr
- Ville Haapasalo
- Aleksey Frandetti
- Ramilya Iskander
Common questions
- What is Tsar about?
- A severe historical drama about Ivan the Terrible’s sacredly justified tyranny confronting the conscience of his scholar-friend Philip.
- What is Tsar like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Tsar as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Tsar violent?
- Yes. Ember rates the violence in Tsar as brutal.
- What did critics think of Tsar?
- Critics and viewers broadly recognize a grand, serious historical drama carried by powerful lead performances and political allegory, though its severe intensity limits its accessibility.
- Which films are like Tsar?
- Films with a similar feel include Andrei Rublev, The Passion of Joan of Arc, and The Death of Stalin.
- How long is Tsar?
- Tsar runs 119 minutes.
