Russian Movies Suck

Overview

Roman (NFKRZ) argues that Russian cinema is in a poor state despite Russia and the Soviet Union’s history of influential films. He attributes the decline largely to government pressure and an industry increasingly shaped by censorship, patriotic messaging, and efforts to replace Western releases.

Key Points

Formulaic, low-quality productions

Roman criticizes the stream of reboots of Soviet cartoons and fairy tales, sequels built around short-lived internet memes, and films he describes as “slop.” He also mocks the use of AI-generated visuals and argues that audiences widely dislike these productions.

Public funding and alleged waste

Many of the films he discusses receive government or taxpayer funding. He suggests that their poor results and minimal audience interest raise concerns about corruption and whether the money is actually being spent on production.

A contrast with Russia’s cinematic past

Roman cites Soviet filmmakers such as Eisenstein and Tarkovsky, as well as post-Soviet director Alexei Balabanov, as examples of Russia’s once-strong cinematic tradition. He notes that some respected Russian filmmakers and documentary makers now have to work outside Russia because of restrictions.

Propaganda and overused war themes

He argues that films about the Second World War are produced so frequently that the subject has become repetitive and is often used as patriotic propaganda, including to support the government’s framing of the war in Ukraine.

Films detached from everyday reality

In Roman’s view, many contemporary Russian comedies and dramas show an idealized, affluent version of the country that ordinary people may not recognize. He also says that some films depicting harsher periods have been removed from cinemas, suggesting that difficult realities are unwelcome.

A constrained market

Roman says Russian cinemas rely on pirated copies of some foreign films, illustrating the industry’s disregard for intellectual-property rules. Overall, he describes a cycle in which government money funds films with little audience demand, while the process continues regardless.

Contributors

• Presenter: Roman (NFKRZ)
• Other contributors: None identified