Maxine Peake’s Words of War is now available on a UK streaming service. It had a limited release in cinemas for just one day this summer, and was also made available to purchase digitally.
The movie features Peake playing Anna Politkovskaya, a real Russian journalist and human rights advocate. Politkovskaya famously covered both the conflict in Chechnya and the corruption within Vladimir Putin’s government, even though numerous efforts were made to stop her from reporting.
The cast also includes Game of Thrones star Ciarán Hinds, Jason Isaacs from The White Lotus, Harry Lawtey who appeared in Mr Burton, and Fady Elsayed of Kaos.
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The director is James Strong, known for his work on Mr Bates vs the Post Office and for directing multiple episodes of Doctor Who when David Tennant first played the role.
As of today, Words of War is now available to stream as part of a Prime Video subscription.
On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has a solid 75% positive score from 24 reviews from critics.
The Times described Peake as powerful in her role, and noted that the movie is both engaging and relevant to current events.
The review also complimented the actors on using their natural accents, explaining: “Nobody wants to watch a bunch of experienced actors forcing their Russian ‘R’s like they’re trying to imitate bad Bond villains.”
The Washington Post commended the film for its honesty and unwillingness to simplify difficult truths for viewers. They highlighted Eric Poppen’s script, noting it openly addresses the risks faced by sources who speak to reporters, and also how Anna Politkovskaya’s unique position – being seen as someone trusted by all Chechens – made her vulnerable to manipulation by the government for their own purposes.
A review in The Guardian acknowledged the film’s merits, stating it “earns respect for tackling the subject matter, although it’s a rather simple telling of Politkovskaya’s life, leaning a bit heavily on admiring praise and familiar tropes from films about determined journalists.”
Also, Peake’s latest movie, I Swear, will be showing in theaters next month. Early reviews have been very encouraging.
Words of War is available to stream now with a Prime Video subscription.
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2025-09-29 15:50