Bender: The Beginning (2021)

Ostap Bender. The Beginning is the kind of roguish, high-spirited adventure that wins you over on sheer momentum: a Civil War-era treasure hunt where every smile feels like it might be a con and every handshake might be a setup. Igor Zaytsev keeps the tone buoyant even when the stakes turn dangerous, letting the film glide between slapstick misdirection, brisk action, and a surprisingly sincere coming-of-age spark as an earnest young dreamer gets schooled by a charismatic swindler. Sergei Bezrukov makes Bender irresistibly watchable—part showman, part survivor—while the period setting adds a dusty, volatile texture that makes each close call feel earned. If you like clever capers with big personalities and a dash of old-fashioned romanticism, it’s an easy ride; if you prefer your historical dramas sober and restrained, this one’s more of a playful, crowd-pleasing romp.

Ostap Bender. The Beginning wants to be a rollicking Civil War-era caper: odd-couple mentorship, a shiny MacGuffin, and a parade of double-crosses with a wink. The problem is it often feels like it’s trying on too many genres at once—comedy, action, drama, historical adventure—so the tone can swing wildly and the momentum gets choppy when the film stops to set up the next escapade. If you’re coming for sharp, tightly written con-artist cleverness, you may find the plotting more busy than brilliant, with characters leaning into broad types rather than surprising depth. Still, Bezrukov brings swagger and energy, and if you enjoy colorful period chaos and don’t mind a long, episodic treasure hunt, it can be an easy enough ride.