Kompromat: El Expediente Ruso

What promised to be a great movie, loosely based on real events, turned into a soap full of clichés and turns of events that lack verisimilitude. It is really sad that the screewriter/ the director felt the need to pack the film with over the top dramatic unrealistic eye-roll worthy plots and twists on top of the core storyline, wherever some understatement and restraint could have made this a great film. This story didn't deserve to be turned into melodramatic fromage.

However, the portrayal of the Russian system, specifically the prison and the people' interactions are realistic enough. The acting is great as well. It is entertaining enough for you to wait till the very expected end.

"It's too long", someone wrote. Well, I disagree. First of all, French directors don't generally hew to the mad pacing American filmgoers are used to. This is quite obvious - you have to go into the theater with a different notion of what an action film should look like.

The film is extremely tight all the way through. Extraordinary attention to detail, and the cinematography is outstanding. Just beautiful. Yes, the plot is somewhat convoluted - but it's based on an incredible true story. It's also timely in that it informs the audience of the true terror people are living in, in the totalitarian state of Russia. G-d knows how many people are wrongfully imprisoned. This is the story of a man who, incredibly, was able to escape the clutches of the Russian state. It's worth watching for that reason alone.

This is kind of exactly what I have against French movies. The story is good, the actors are good, the images are good, but the way it is filmed is way too long. It's as if there are 2 different kinds of movies, the comedies and the artsy ones. This one tries to be artsy, with pan shots, and repeating itself so that we understand how much the poor guy waited. I love movies, and I love movies that are a piece of art, because it's gorgeous, and yet it keeps you interested throughout, without needong to take a nap. But this one fails at it. It felt very long, which transpired with me looking at my watch around the 1 hour mark to see how long I was supposed to stay there still. I think the real story of Yoann Barbereau would have been better, rather than VERY loosely basing the movie on it. So much questions remain in the end. Too bad...

The term "kompromat" refers to a form of blackmail used by the Russian authorities to gain leverage over individuals, and it's a concept at the heart of this gripping thriller which is very loosely based on actual events.

Mathieu (Gilles Lellouche), a member of the French institute in Irkutsk, is arrested overnight by the Russian authorities and accused of a crime he did not commit. He soon realizes he is being used as a scapegoat in an elaborate setup orchestrated to frame him for a crime that never happened.

Left alone and isolated with no one to turn to, Mathieu must find a way to prove his innocence and escape. The journey is filled with tense moments as he navigates through corrupt officials, threats of violence, and an atmosphere of despair.

Gilles Lellouche gives a powerful performance in the lead role, conveying Mathieu's emotions with nuance and intensity. His performance is complemented by a top-notch supporting cast, making the movie an engaging experience. The cinematography is also noteworthy as it captures the claustrophobic atmosphere and oppressive mood of the setting.

The themes of KOMPROMAT also have a contemporary immediacy given the currently tense relationships between Russia and other European countries. It tells an important story about a system designed to control and manipulate its citizens and gives us insight into how our liberties can be taken away.

KOMPROMAT did feel a bit too long, but its intricate plot and detailed character development created a compelling narrative that kept me riveted until the very end.

I have seen most of the films that won Oscars this year, 2025. I will not mention them, because they are so bad that they do not deserve to be mentioned. I almost lose faith in the art of cinema and even in human being, because of the banality of these films. Meanwhile, high-quality films like this french one are forgotten in some streaming system and few people watch them. This is a suspense film that has all the requirements of a great film, everything about it is top notch: Acting, photography, editing, soundtrack, script. In short, it is a film that shows that the art of cinema still has a lot of breath and will not die any time soon. Thank you to the producers who made this gem, it is really good.