While watching this film I kept thinking of the Forbes journalist Paul Klebnikov who wrote about political and economic matters in Russia and got very close to the inner circle of Oligarchs and then was eventually assassinated.He was the editor for Forbes in Russia and was shot while leaving the office one night. Transported to the hospital in an ambulance with no oxygen, upon arrival the elevator broke down while being taken to surgery.Though the main character played by Craig in this film is not shot, he comes close to getting assassinated.This is a very interesting film if you are into the political history of Russia. But it is slow at times and everyone is a bit too aloof, so the character development is shallow.But it's a good film in other respects. Seven stars.

***SPOILERS*** Interesting movie about an Amercan collage professor Fluke-named because he was a late born child-Kelso-named after 1960's 5 time horse of the year-played by Daniel Craig who uncovers a secret plan to return Russia into the hell that it was when Sovet dictator Josef Stalin, Avtandia Makhardze, ruled it with an iron hand.It's when Kelso runs into Papu Rapave, Valery Chernyak, at a Moscow restaurant that he finds out that Stalin though dead for over 50 years is now about to make his big move and take over the just freed from communism Mother Russia! How Stalin is going to pull this off is in a secret plan hatched by him and his top henchman NKVD chief Lavrenty Beria, Yervant Arzumanvan, dreamed up back in the early 1950's just before Stalin passed away under very suspicious circumstances! It was a then Red Army solider Pvt. Rapava who was part of Stalin's security detail who got wind of it that it him being sent to the Soviet Gulag for over 15 years!Knowing that he hasn't got long in this world Rapava want's Prof. Kelso to let the world know the truth about Stalin's long planned second coming before he actually makes it and ends up, with WMD, not only destroying Russia but the entire world! It's when Kelso hooks up with Rapava's hooker 27 years old estranged daughter Zinaida, Ekaterina Rednikova, that things start to crystallize in her father's, who was later murdered by pro-Stalin fanatics, hidden secret papers and diary in how this sinister and yes evil plan is supposed to be carried out! In the out of the way Russian town of Archangle where it's namesake Lucifer was spawned some 50 years ago and is now ready to reveal himself to the world! With Prof. Kelso being the person designated by him to do the revealing!***SPOILERS*** A bit too long, 133 minutes, and over-plotted "Archangle" stills holds one's interest in the films very unique and somewhat over the top storyline. The films surprise ending, which last for the entire last 30 minutes of the movie, does in fact shake you up but gets a bit overdone by being stretched out for so long. There's also pretty Zinaida Rapava who after wanting to have nothing to do with prof. Kelso and his mission to expose Stalin's plans for the future ends up in fact being the person who puts an end to them by realizing ,if she didn't already, what a murderous psycho he was and what he's, if his gang of maniacal man-men take over Russia, capable of doing when he takes power!

I am guessing that if this story about Stalin's biological child isn't exactly real, it is as true as any history about any important types of people from along time ago (and present day as well as what is truth any hows?). So, if anyone knows if something like this was supposed to have actually happened, please write to me and let me know. Not that it really matters, so don't waste precious time. Just another story that one wonders on. (Spend more time relaxing)It was a rather fun movie to watch. There is an element about Daniel Craig that makes him a rather tedious person, as opposed to the James Bond dude who practically sparkles. But I'm sure that probably most people will pooh-pooh this movie as it is about rather boring crap - historical Russia. I personally have always found it all fascinating how contorted that those rulers have created their society/world. And the need to be a survivalist there is almost like watching a thriller. So, if you know how to read between the lines about Russia and other prisoned folk - you too may appreciate this movie as I did. But remember its not a sparkler of a movie, just an insight into a different sort of person than gringos.

The best thing about this film is Daniel Craig, but even he cannot save this by-the-numbers made-for-TV slog. I wonder how many airport-fiction writers got inspired by 'Gorky Park' to write a 'Russian' thriller of their own, but this cannot be one of the better results. The premise of post-Soviet Russia being obsessed by (or generally giving a s*** about) Stalin and being in danger of a Communist revolution lead by Joe Jr. is laughable. Little Stalin's short speech en route to Moscow - watch his gloved hands - must be one of the cheesiest moments in the history of cinema.I hope that Russian actors had a good time participating in this silly production; I liked everyone involved, especially the memorable Communist honcho with a fake Russian last name - 'Mamantov' is really 'Mamontov', but who cares? - and the endearingly Ralph-Fiennes'ish 'good KGB guy'. Apart from Russian actors getting paid, another benefit to Russian economy has been the $200 or so that Archangel's director spent on cheap Lenin and Stalin busts and portraits, sprinkled generously all over the set. (Getting live bears proved too expensive, unfortunately).In my opinion, the best line in the movie belongs not to Daniel Craig's character, Dr. Kelso - no relation to the Dr. Kelso from 'Scrubs' - but to a female colleague of his, who propositions the dashing historian with this memorable line: 'I have to get laid before I go back to Princeton'. PS. No, she does not!!! What a waste!!! :)