IVAN VASILIEVICH: BACK TO THE FUTURE is a broad time travel comedy from Russia. Those with an experience of Russian cinema from this decade will immediately recognise the constant mugging and slapstick laughs inherent in the story and those looking for something a little wittier and more mature will be disappointed. Still, I liked this one regardless, purely because of the effort that's gone into the production.This is a sequel of sorts to OPERATION 'Y' AND OTHER SHURIK'S ADVENTURES, featuring as it does the likable Aleksandr Demyanenko returning to the role of Shurik. The subject matter is time travel, with two story lines playing out in tandem: the first has a couple of small-timers sent back to 16th century Russia to engage in plenty of chases, while the second, and more interesting plot, has Ivan the Terrible arriving in the present day and finding himself confused by modern technology. It's broad stuff indeed, but a film that works well and is genuinely amusing.

the seduction is the basic virtue. the crazy mixture between history and science , the use of Ivan Vasilievich out of historical/popular speech, the gags and the credible story, the memories of viewer about slices from Arabela and Visitors are good details for create a charming story. the great thing - the measure and the subtle science to explore the realities from Soviet Union.because it has the good sense to be more than a comedy but reflection of the errors and absurd of the regime. a film who could be interesting for understand the past in different sides. a film who must see. not only for humor. but for its roots. because, more than the first sigh's impressions, it is a real smart movie.

This film is not only very funny, but also the product of a deep knowledge and love of classic Russian cinema. Some cadres are clearly inspired by Eisenstein's Ivan the Terrible, part I (Ivan Vasilevich looking from the window, Ivan Vasilevich sitting with the scribe) and their presence in the comedy context (in a world turned upside-down, as Bachtin would have it) is the silver bullet that provides laughter and delight to the intellectual as well as to the unsophisticated viewer, who may be content with recognizing on the apartment's wall a reproduction of Repin's "Ivan Grozny killing his own son". Building on this, Gaidai displays his own masterly craft: he can make you laugh with just one word (Tsar Ivan looking at contemporary Moscow - devastated by modern buildings - and bursting out "Beauty!"). Great acting by everyone, Miloslavski (Leonid Kuravliov) being my personal favourite.

Hi!As the title of the comment points this is one of the best Soviet comedies ever filmed. And that's is the reason for many people from other countries of the world not to get it's meaning. I would say that even modern day Russians - who have never lived in The Soviet Union, who have no idea what Iron Curtain or Warsaw Treaty Organization is will never understand and enjoy it in full. But anyone who is acquainted with Soviet reality will vote 10 of 10 - I am sure. So do not blame Americans or peoples from other countries for not getting Soviet comedies (those were great; and modern day Russian comedies is pure crap - I am sorry) - they were so very oriented to our former reality that are hard to get in modern days. My score is 20 of 10.