50
Even if it is visually up to the task, The Student is hobbled by its script and hog tied by its characters.
What are people saying?
What are critics saying?
80
Time Out London by Cath Clarke
There is surely a sly attack here on the Kremlin and Vladimir Putin’s suppression of liberal values and demonisation of the LGBT community. As the tension escalates, there are some poking between the ribs questions too about free speech and facts in the post-truth era.
88
RogerEbert.com by Godfrey Cheshire
One of the strongest aspects of The Student is that, while its view of Venya’s beliefs is decidedly skeptical, it doesn’t ridicule him or suggest that others are immune to his Biblical zealotry.
80
The Student is a film that never stops to think; it thinks (and speaks, and shouts) while prodigiously on the move.
60
A dark and slightly hysterical portrait of fundamentalist fever.
80
The Hollywood Reporter by Leslie Felperin
Offers both a universally relevant examination of religious zealotry and, at the same time, a damning, satirical look at modern Russia, a country whose major institutions have become increasingly dominated and cowed by medieval-minded reactionaries and bigots.
80
Skvortsov gives a scarily grim-faced performance, with biology teacher Elena (Viktoriya Isakova) increasingly beleaguered as the only one resisting him.
75
The Student makes a chilling allegory for the post-fact age (Russia invented it, remember), and a cautionary tale for cultures everywhere. There’s such a thing as being too tolerant of the intolerant.
70
Screen International by Sarah Ward
The end result proves commanding and fascinating, even if it’s not wholly satisfying from start to finish.