Before the barbaric Russian invasion of Ukraine, President Vladimir Putin’s Federation conducted an equally unspeakable campaign of brutality against the people of Chechnya in its attempt to become a breakaway independent state. However, the vicious, genocidal atrocities inflicted upon the Chechan population were not widely known at the time, especially amongst Russian citizens. But one intrepid journalist sought to change that. Reporter Anna Politkovskaya (Maxine Peake), a correspondent for Novaya Gazeta, an independent newspaper founded by former Russian Head of State Mikhail Gorbachev whose mission was to report the truth as an alternative to official Russian state propaganda, undertook the task of informing the public of the horrors unfolding in Chechnya. Backed by the unwavering support of her editor, Dmitry Muratov (Ciarán Hinds), from 1999 to 2006, Politkovskaya courageously struggled to get the word out about the ghastly events taking place in the largely Islamic state, incidents that were “justified” as a means to counter the “rising terrorist menace” churning within its borders and in surrounding areas. Politkovskaya’s graphic, unrelenting reporting, coupled with scathing criticisms of the Putin regime, gradually caught the attention of the world, earning her an invitation to testify before the United Nations Security Council and winning her Amnesty International’s 2001 Award for Humanitarian Journalism. But her writings and activism came at a cost, including attempts on her life, the torture of her on-the-ground Chechan liaison (Fady Elsayad), strained relations with her children (Harry Lawtey, Naomi Battrick), and the ruining of the career of her husband, Sasha (Jason Isaacs), a successful television talk show host. But, from Politkovskaya’s perspective, the challenges were worth it to let the world in on Putin’s dirty little secret. Indeed, the world might know a lot less about the estimated 60,000 victims of the Chechan Revolt were it not for Polikovskaya’s committed reporting. Director James Strong’s fact-based feature tells a compelling, if at times formulaic and episodic story examining the tremendous impact of the protagonist’s work, as well as the painful impact it had on her and her kindreds. This is effectively brought to life by the positively fierce performances of its superb ensemble, particularly Hinds, Isaacs, and, especially, Peake, all of whom deliver outstanding portrayals worthy of well-deserved awards season consideration. But the message of this film goes beyond just what Politkovskaya did in Chechnya; it shines a bright light on the courageous work of journalists around the globe who have risked (and given) their lives in the pursuit of covering harrowing stories of combat, torture and genocide in the world’s political hotspots. It recalls many excellent and revealing previous releases that tell comparable stories, such as “The Killing Fields” (1984), “Viper Club” (2018), “A Private War” (2018) and “Civil War” (2024). And, for its accomplishments, “Words of War” rightfully belongs beside those offerings, poignantly reminding us all – and not just journalists – to remain vigilant in the face of what is or could be unfolding around us. Sadly, this release played fleetingly in theaters and has largely flown below the radar, and it’s likely to be overlooked when this year’s cinematic accolades are handed out. But, for my money, this is truly must-see viewing, now accessible for streaming on multiple online platforms. Don’t miss this one.
