‘Words of War’ Review: A Crusader for Truth in Putin’s Russia Is Memorialized in a Less-Than-Bold Biopic

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Right now is an impactful time for a movie such as “Words of War,” given that freedoms of the press and other democratic elements appear to be under siege globally. There are scarcely better contemporary examples of this danger than the case of Anna Politkovskaya, a well-known Russian journalist who tirelessly exposed government corruption and damaging policies, particularly during the Second Chechen War. It’s believed that her assassination, which occurred twenty years ago on Vladimir Putin’s birthday, was in response to her work.

I wholeheartedly agree that Anna Politkovskaya deserves the captivating portrayal presented in “Words of War,” with Sean Penn lending his expertise as an executive producer. However, this U.K. production, featuring Maxine Peake in the lead role, gains more points for its noble intentions than it does for artistic ingenuity or a powerful impact. It’s a well-crafted, predictable biopic, directed by British TV veteran James Strong, who seems to polish rather than elevate Eric Poppen’s script filled with tired clichés. Despite the intriguing subject matter, I can’t help but hope that one day Anna will receive a more engaging and less formulaic screen adaptation. Currently, Rolling Pictures is distributing the feature in U.S. theaters.

The movie opens with a predestined scene set in 2004, showing Peake’s character Anna, who is middle-aged, returning to Moscow after being poisoned during a hostage crisis. Her loved ones quickly transfer her from one hospital due to safety concerns. Going back five years, we meet Anna, an investigative journalist and columnist for the independent newspaper Novaya Gazeta, which was founded by Mikhail Gorbachev post-Soviet Union breakup. She has a knack for uncovering wrongdoings, from wealthy oligarchs to underfunded institutions like orphanages.

Initially, Anna’s reputation remains confined as editor-in-chief Dmitry Muratov (Ciaran Hinds) refuses her request to cover ground reporting in Chechen, a region where ongoing conflict with Russian forces has been portrayed mostly through government propaganda. On her initial foray into the war zone, she encounters a stark reality but gains little understanding. However, on a subsequent visit, Anna discards military oversight and teams up with a local guide (Fady El-Sayed as Anzor), who pledges to reveal the truth. Shocked by the devastated living conditions of civilians and their harrowing tales of atrocities, Anna eventually discovers an unmarked grave containing over 150 massacred Chechens.

Anna’s critical articles swiftly create a damaging impact. Her husband, Alexander (Jason Isaac), loses his prestigious broadcast position; their grown children, Harry Lawtey and Naomi Battrick, worry about her imprudence. Soon after, they receive anonymous threats, noticeable surveillance, and visits from an emissary of the secret police (Ian Hart). However, the pressure Anna exerts on the Kremlin catches the attention of significant entities such as the United Nations Security Council. When Chechen Islamist separatists seized control of Moscow’s Dubrovka Theater in October 2002, holding more than 900 hostages, they requested Anna to serve as their negotiator.

The disturbing incident, resulting in a tragic outcome for several individuals due to alleged Russian security service actions that Politkovskaya perceived as treachery, carries enough weight to be the central plot of a movie. This event serves as a catalyst for the kind of dramatic scene that can make a fact-based drama more suspenseful and climactic. However, Strong, who typically works on television series, doesn’t fully capitalize on this opportunity. Additionally, Poppen, whose past scripts were relatively simple genre pieces, struggles to offer a unique perspective on such intricate events.

It’s reasonable that a two-hour story like “Words of War” needs some simplification. However, the film sometimes seems overly generic in its portrayal of a unique character, Anna Politkovskaya. The dialogue often feels heavy-handed, with repeated phrases such as “Anna, you’re so bold and unyielding!” The family dynamics are given too much focus, which makes parts of the story dull and repetitive.

Despite Peake’s diligent attempts, her protagonist appears flat and overly righteous, embodying a rigid, corrective demeanor – a character type that strongly evokes the English. Interestingly, only the Chechen characters are given distinct accents. The dialogue often carries a refined, high-tea tone, and the absence of authentic Russian elements (neither enhanced nor diminished by Latvian filming locations) contributes to the impression that this production resembles a BBC production.

The outcome appears strangely stiff and untrustworthy, despite provoking feelings of conscience. Extensive closing credits unfold over a series of images depicting approximately 1,500 journalists who have been killed globally since the portrayed events. This message is bound to evoke emotions in the viewer. However, similar to many other aspects of this elegantly produced, seemingly respectful yet artificial-feeling homage, its presentation carries the tired tone of a high-end charity event.

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2025-05-16 05:47