Words of War review – Maxine Peake leads line as murdered Putin-critic journalist Anna Politkovskaya

Peake stars opposite Jason Isaacs, as Politkovskaya’s husband, in this sentimental look at the life of a woman who, 19 years after her death, remains a folk heroThis British-American co-production offers a dramatised portrait of Russian journalist Anna Politkovskaya (played by Maxine Peake) who was assassinated in 2006. Politkovskaya’s gutsy, impassioned reporting on the second Chechen war was highly critical of the Kremlin, the Russian army and Vladimir Putin personally. (The fact that she was murdered on his birthday was surely no coincidence.) Nineteen years after her death, she remains a folk hero worldwide for resistances to autocracy, especially given the rise in repression everywhere and constant threats to journalists.Given all that, the film deserves respect for the subject matter, even though this is a pretty basic rendition of Politkovskaya’s story, a little too sticky with hagiographic sentimentality and the cliches of crusading journalist-led movies. It also should be noted that Politkovskaya’s family haven’t given the film their blessing; some of them may not be happy, for instance, with the thinly written characterisations of their fictional counterparts, like her son Ilya (Harry Lawtey) who is made to seem peevish and self-absorbed even when his feelings are understandable. (“I’m not watching you die!” he bellows at one point.) Continue reading...

Comments

Culture

James Cameron labels Christopher Nolan’s Oscar-winning triumph ‘a moral cop out’

Metro

Comments

Similar News

Sunday Puzzle: A familiar word before H-O-T words

Brian May has four-word response to claim Freddie Mercury had secret daughter

‘We need to reclaim these words’: Inside England’s first romance-only bookshop catering to record levels of popularity

Anita Dobson shares Brian May’s four-word response to Freddie Mercury’s ‘secret daughter’

Country singer Ronnie McDowell rushed to hospital after ‘slurring his words’ on stage

'A pitch perfect accompaniment to summer nights': Grease is still very much the word

Alison Hammond lost for words after being told she’s ‘repulsive’

Music legend defies Trump's banned-word blacklist in explosive viral song - watch before it's pulled!

Britten: Sinfonia da Requiem, Winter Words (arr Holloway), etc album review – confirms Gardner’s status as an outstanding conductor of Britten

A new father finds comfort in a doctor's words of advice

The word of the Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse by-election: scunnered

Word of the Week: This four-letter word doesn't mean what it used to. That's nice

Word of the Week: How 'pride' shifted from vice to a symbol of LGBTQ empowerment

Culture

James Cameron labels Christopher Nolan’s Oscar-winning triumph ‘a moral cop out’

TV chef’s leg turned ‘yellow and black’ after being bitten by snake on charity bike ride

Ranvir Singh reveals terrifying side effect she developed when drink was spiked

Major WWE SmackDown spoilers as iconic star returns on Friday’s episode

Inbetweeners star James Buckley and wife stalked by woman who threatened ‘violent acts’

80s music icon almost cancelled long-overdue Glastonbury debut over hearing fears

Amazon’s James Bond casting wishlist revealed including major breakout star

Photos show Glastonbury 2025 aftermath after thousands of fans leave festival site

James Gunn names actor he thinks would be a ‘great’ Wonder Woman

Donald McDonald death: Play School star and ‘showbiz great’ dies aged 86

Tulisa’s father and Mungo Jerry keyboardist Plato Contostavlos dies

Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban’s Los Angeles home reportedly burglarised on Valentine’s Day

Glastonbury 2025 live: Clean-up underway as organisers prepare for fallow year

BBC Play School presenter Donald Macdonald dies aged 86

Chief Rabbi calls 'vile Jew-hatred at Glastonbury' a 'national shame'

'The Bear' is back with its strong performances intact

Fans find it ‘hard to say goodbye’ as Downton Abbey releases final film trailer

You will need a strong stomach for this hideously fascinating Channel 4 documentary

Meet the dark new generation of clowns making you spill your deepest secrets

‘I have a deep sense of survivor’s guilt’: Four people on 7/7, the day that changed the nation

New on Netflix in July 2025, including your latest true-crime obsession

Jaws and effect: How Spielberg’s epic changed our relationship with sharks forever

Music critics say Oasis only made two good albums. Gen Z strongly disagree

How Lisa Laurén’s Artsy Childhood Inspires Her Sought-After Animal Heads

Jurassic World Rebirth goes back to basics – and saves the franchise in the process

Squid Game creator weighs in on US spin-off rumors after Cate Blanchett cameo

Netflix is removing your favourite original series after nine years

Scarlett Johansson says she was cast in ‘a lot’ of roles suited to the ‘the male gaze’ as a young actor

Kyle MacLachlan turned down And Just Like That reprisal over writers’ ‘first idea’ for Trey and Charlotte

Bob Vylan ‘dropped by agents’ after controversial Glastonbury chant

Mark Hamill ‘clears up’ Star Wars misconception after criticising divisive film

The horrifying revelations of the Idaho student murders

Did BBC's focus on one potential Glastonbury controversy miss another?

As Squid Game ends, South Koreans return to the reality that inspired it

Judge allows antitrust lawsuit against Apple to proceed

Slander or 'trash-talking'? Drake-Kendrick Lamar feud has a day in court

Bush, Obama and a tearful Bono fault Trump's gutting of USAID on agency's last day

Top cyber firm warns new digital threats from China unlike any ever encountered

Squid Game creator weighs in on US spin-off rumors after Cate Blanchett cameo

Netflix partners with NASA as space agency looks to boost rocket launch viewership

Behind the scenes look at The Odyssey film set in Scotland

UK viewers can finally watch season 2 of ‘compelling’ Australian thriller

ITV forced to halt filming of Stephen Mulhern show after fire on set

World Heath Organization fails to find COVID origin in latest probe

New flagship art gallery opening in historic city square

Glastonbury headliner ‘had to use cheat sheet on stage to remember his own lyrics’

Review: On ‘Virgin,’ Is Lorde Finally Done With the Spotlight?

Lisa Nandy hits out at BBC leadership over Glastonbury live stream

Photos of cockfighting in Afghan capital show a bloody pastime thriving in the shadows

GoFundMe is refurbishing a little-known financial tool in a bid to supercharge everyday giving

Disney cruise ship rescue team saves girl and father after overboard fall

Dried bay leaves bring layers of flavor to Portuguese-style beef skewers

Legendary News at Ten presenter Sandy Gall dies aged 97

Police launch criminal investigation into Bob Vylan and Kneecap Glastonbury sets

'Hamilton' producer Jeffrey Seller traces his journey from 'Theater Kid' to Broadway

Lewis Capaldi UK tour 2025: Dates and when tickets go on sale

Netflix adds ‘breathtaking’ sci-fi movie 23 years after it was first released

Film hailed ‘one of the greatest ever made’ now available on Amazon Prime

Cobra Kai’s Alicia Hannah-Kim speaks out for first time after Martin Kove biting ‘attack’

Jurassic World Rebirth goes back to basics – and saves the franchise in the process