The Rider Named Death

Based on the life of Russian terrorist Boris Savinkov, The Rider Named Death is a historical drama about harrowing, politicized violence. A stoic killer (Panin) espouses murder in the name of Russia's Socialist Revolutionary Party around the turn of the 20th century. But it quickly becomes clear that he's lost confidence in the movement and continues to kill merely out of habit. Although the production design is stunning and the performances are excellent, the film ultimately feels cold and lacking in motivation.