Navalny

As "Navalny" (2022 release; 98 min) opens, Russian opposition leader has survived an attempt on his life, and after recovering in Germany, it is "January 17, 2021" and his is about to fly back to Moscow. We then go the "Three Years Earlier", as we see Navalny campaigning of ever bigger and enthusiastic crowds. At this point we are 10 min into the documentary.

Couple of comments: this is the second documentary by Canadian director Daniel Roher, whose prior film "Once Were Brothers: Robbie Robertson and the Band" received much acclaim. Here Roher tackles a very different topic: how one man (and his very small entourage) takes on Putin and the Kremlin regime of thugs and murderers. Much of the documentary focuses on the buildup of the attempted murder (in August, 2020) and his return to Moscow 5 months later. Roher seems to have gotten unfettered access, and we get tons of never before seen footage of what day-to-day life is like for someone who could be killed any day by the Kremlin. Navalny's wife is featured extensively as well. Perhaps most stunningly is how a Bulgarian data journalist from Bellingcast pieces together what exactly happened in the leadup to August, 2020. It's like a political thriller movie, except (as Navalny keeps reminding us), "this actually happened". The courage that Navalny shows throughout the film is beyond words. True leadership in the highest order. In other words: the exact opposite of Putin and yes, Trump. PLEASE NOTE: the movie's overall rating showing here on IMDB of just 5.5/10 is grossly misleading. The movie has been rated 10,000 times, undoubtedly very negatively by countless Russian trolls and Trumpist trolls (because, you know, they HATE democracy and they LOVE a good ol' fashioned murderous dictator)., and of course without actually having seen the film. In contrast, all 30 written reviews submitted to date here on IMDb rate this documentary 9/10 or 10/10, and the movie is currently rated 100% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes, all for very good reason.

"Navalny" premiered last night on CNN, and will soon also start streaming on HBO Max. If you want to get a true understanding of what kind of leadership and courage it takes to stand up against Putin, I'd readily suggest you check this out, and draw your own conclusion.

*UPDATE* As I fully expected, "Navaly" is nominated for the Best Documentary Oscar, and I am already going on record that it will also WIN the Oscar. There are several other outstanding documentaries nominated for the Oscar, including "Fire of Love" and "All The Beauty and the Bloodshed", but in the end, "Navalny" resonates more than ever (with Russia's Putin in all all-out, if losing, war against Ukraine).

This film has been downvoted by Russian bots. Which is one of the points of this film to begin with. Roher befriended Navalny by chance. Navalny is a shrewed social media adept politician. Roher says he was not sure if Navalny is using him in this documentary. Even that is woven in. Need to see it.

There's a cage that holds a despot and he's rattled, as you've been shaking it he's become more embattled, so he's attacked your underwear, with an agent that's been smeared, it's left you rather weak and quite bedraggled. Time away is spent to aid recovery, this is when you make your big discovery, there are terrorists of the state, sanctioned assassins who orchestrate, removing those who might be called, adversary. Upon return you are arrested and imprisoned, the powers can't accept an opposition, a corrupt autocracy, will not let your speech be free, you will remain a detainee, without remission.

At the time of writing, the average rating is a little over 5, from over 10,000 ratings. Yet all but one of the written reviews rates it 9 or more. Bizarre no? Or does someone really want this film to rate badly for political reasons? That alone should make you want to see it.

Navalny is a remarkably brave, perhaps slightly arrogant man and his story is frightening and quite incredible. He and his team are very media savvy and at times the production feels almost too slick. Can we believe everything we see in the film? I feel it would be naive to do so given how all sides tend to manipulate mainstream media to their own ends.

My biggest concern is that the crux of the film is one telephone conversation. The problem is, we have absolutely no way of verifying the identity of the voice on the phone or if there is any truth to the conversation. The documentary brushes over this point, focusing instead on the content of the conversation, which is understandable given the sensational revelations made in it. So should we as the audience just believe it and move on or question it as well as everything else the producers want us to questions? I don't know.

Overall, well worth watching.

I'm writing this review on 2/16/2024. Alexei Navalny is reported to have died today while imprisoned by the Russian authorities in Siberia. President Biden alleged in a press conference that Putin is responsible for the death of Navalny.

Having seen this fascinating, eye-opening documentary last year (2023) I have no doubt what Biden alleged is true. This is an amazing and terrifying depiction of an assassination attempt on Navalny in 2020, followed by his own investigation in to who carried it out, exposing them for who they are, and ultimately exposing the actual nature of the corrupt Putin regime. This erased any remaining doubts I may have had about what Russia is capable of.

This is one of the all time great documentaries. If you want to understand what is behind a lot of what is wrong with our world today, and how Russia and Putin are behind so much of it, you should take a look at this.