
Russian Ark
2002, Drama, 1h 35m
109 Reviews 5,000+ RatingsWhat to know
critics consensus
As successful as it is ambitious, Russian Ark condenses three centuries of Russian history into a single, uninterrupted, 87-minute take. Read critic reviews
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Russian Ark Photos
Movie Info
A French marquis (Sergei Dreiden) wanders through a vast labyrinth of corridors, theaters and ballrooms at a reception for a Persian ambassador.
Cast & Crew
Sergei Dontsov
The Stranger
The Stranger
Leonid Mozgovoy
The Spy
The Spy
David Giorgobiani
Orbeli
Orbeli
Mariya Kuznetsova
Catherine the Great
Catherine the Great
Aleksandr Chaban
Boris Piotrovsky
Boris Piotrovsky
Maksim Sergeyev
Peter the Great
Peter the Great
Critic Reviews for Russian Ark
Audience Reviews for Russian Ark
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Apr 18, 2015Russian Ark should be remembered not only as a breathtaking logistic accomplishment that knocked me off my chair with its stunning single take using a Steadicam and digital technology, but also as a sumptuous travel through Russian history and an unforgettable homage to the Hermitage Museum and to Art itself.Carlos M Super Reviewer
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Nov 26, 2013A never-seen ghostlike figure wanders through the Hermitage Museum (previously home to the Czars) in St. Petersburg, watching re-enactments of Russian history and debating art and culture with a French aristocrat companion. With thousands of extras, it's pulled off in one amazing 95-minute take. It's more than a bit stuffy and tailored to the delicate sensibilities of the fine arts crowd, but it's impossible not to be impressed by the pageantry and technical achievement.Greg S Super Reviewer
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Feb 25, 2013Visually, second to none. The film is shot in one take and as unexciting as it sounds, it's quite well done. The plot is thin, at best and the sound design is muddled and messy until the final scene. The downfall of the film as well as its success is that it's shot in one take, which means certain scenes are overexposed and others are too dark to see anything, due to the fact that changing exposures during the same shot is quite messy and nearly unforgiveable. Zoom lense is employed throughout and seems to only serve the purpose of getting the framing correct in certain scenes until the operator can catch up with the action. This, in turn, also looks sloppy and degrades the quality of the film. Overall, an interesting film, but I'd struggle to be able to watch it again because the sound design is some of the worst I've ever heard.Jason 123 D Super Reviewer
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Sep 19, 2012Wonderful concept and gorgeous execution. The viewer moves throughout history to bring alive the story of a building which continues to be of fundamental importance to the Russian people.John B Super Reviewer
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