Cannes 2026: ‘Minotaur’ is a Sensible Take a look at Trendy World Ethical Rot
by Alex Billington Might 19, 2026
Whether or not you prefer it or not, we dwell in perilous instances. But it surely nonetheless appears arduous to speak about this, to speak about what’s damaged, what’s occurring to humanity, what is going on on all around the world, how rotten it has develop into. The simplest strategy to exist peacefully is to close up, conform to the brand new guidelines, do what you are informed, do not trigger any hassle, and simply keep in line. And that is what leads us even deeper into the depths of Hell. Among the best movies on the 2026 Cannes Movie Pageant dares to inform an unflinching story about this pervasive ethical rot and challenges us to look at how simple it’s to lose all of your humanity with a purpose to maintain on to cash & energy. Minotaur is the sixth characteristic movie by acclaimed Russian filmmaker Andrey Zvyagintsev and it is likely to be his greatest but. This hit me arduous and I have not cease analyzing it, making sense of it, processing its immensity within the hours since rising from my screening. Terribly highly effective, abdomen churning, of-the-moment cinema that includes Tarkovsky-inspired visible intricacy in each shot. Minotaur is a superb movie about what’s occurring Russia – whereas additionally a narrative of what is occurring all over the place around the globe when you look intently.
Minotaur (or Минотавр in Russian) is directed by meticulous, masterful filmmaker Andrey Zvyagintsev – who has left Russia and is making movies from overseas now as a “international agent”. The screenplay is written by Simon Lyashenko and Andrey Zvyagintsev. The movie is instantly credited a brand new remake/adaptation of the traditional French movie The Untrue Spouse (1969) by Claude Chabrol; which was remade earlier than into Untrue in 2022 directed by Adrian Lyne. Zvyagintsev’s Minotaur does repeat the identical story once more, this time a couple of CEO of a transportation firm in Russia who discovers his spouse is dishonest on him with a youthful man. However that is solely the half of it. Zvyagintsev extends & expands this infidelity story into an particularly courageous and cinematically complicated criticism of Russia’s heinous conflict in Ukraine that started in 2022. Every little thing modifications he meticulously observes how this results & destroys this household. It is a lot much less of a narrative of a husband & spouse as it’s a story of greed, energy, inhumanity, with a splash of corruption thrown in for good measure. As a lot as it’s particularly about Russia and the way horrible issues have develop into since 2022, together with specializing in drafting common folks to go be killed on the entrance traces, it’s the identical story that may be noticed in so many different nations all around the world proper now. Which ought to critically make anybody really feel sick to their abdomen.
The Minotaur title is an apparent nod to the Greek mythological monster. In accordance with custom, the folks of Athens have been compelled by King Minos to decide on 14 younger residents to be provided as sacrificial victims to the Minotaur. It is linked to part of the plot the place this CEO should decide 14 members of his workers to provide to the federal government to be drafted. Within the movie, Dmitriy Mazurov stars as the rich CEO oligarch Gleb, and Iris Lebedeva as his spouse Galina. Along with characters from The Untrue Spouse, additionally they signify the folks of Russia. Gleb is a person embodying conformity & energetic participation within the regime’s evilness: doing what’s required of him and by no means difficult the system as a result of it could imply he may lose all he has gained. Galina represents many different folks in Russia – those that look the opposite approach, ignore what’s going on, and fake nothing is going on in order to not disrupt their lifestyle both. Nevertheless, this isn’t only a Russian idea. There are numerous highly effective CEOs in lots of Western nations additionally taking part on this system of dominance & greed, additionally keen to sacrifice others with a purpose to preserve energy & management over the world. They’re the true evil, the decay that is harming humanity; Zvyagintsev isn’t afraid to point this clearly in his movie. The shortage of nuance is a part of his may – his want to say to us all, look how unhealthy we’re.
The brilliance isn’t solely on this depiction and this story, however in each technical side of this movie. Working with DP Mikhail Krichman, he crafts each shot with such precision & thematic element. These frames can be studied for many years after this movie is launched. It is no exaggeration to state that is Kubrick or Tarkovsky stage composition, with rain and water as a recurring motif linked to Gleb and his downfall. His world begins to soften round him, whereas his morality drains away. And that is simply the beginning – I am positive there may be extra to find hidden inside every shot. The minimalistic rating by Evgueni Galperine & Sacha Galperine integrates within the story at simply the best moments to make you’re feeling unsettled & uncomfortable. Zvyagintsev feels utterly unashamed to boldly say the world is rotten and we should observe it with our personal eyes. But the movie by no means looks as if it needs to maintain viewers at arm’s size or come throughout so off-putting as to be unwatchable. It is a sluggish burn thriller, although charming in each cinematic sense, letting every sluggish pan in every scene remind us that we’re part of this identical world, too. We should observe rigorously what’s going on round us whether or not we wish to or not – it’s the solely strategy to lastly perceive and interact with the rotten elements of society. He throws in a darkish twist halfway by way of which may trouble some viewers, however I take into account it a mandatory reminder that that is how horrible many highly effective folks have develop into these days. It is so true.
Do not look away. And do not fake that is only a story about Russia. This isn’t solely about saving Ukraine… It is not even about saving the common folks of Russia. It is about saving the world. It is about excavating the rot from each nook of this planet. Within the Minotaur fable, the creature was finally slain by the Athenian hero Theseus, who managed to navigate the labyrinth with the assistance of a thread provided to him by the King’s daughter, Ariadne. There may be hope. It is particularly intriguing that I’m not a giant fan of Zvyagintsev’s earlier movies, they’re too chilly and unsettling to take pleasure in correctly. Maybe it is the fashionable day setting, maybe it is his motivation to be unrestrained in his criticism of the fashionable Russian regime, maybe it is all of this collectively, but it surely comes collectively oh so masterfully. That is actually monumental cinema that can be remembered eternally.
Alex’s Cannes 2026 Ranking: 9.8 out of 10Comply with Alex on Twitter – @firstshowing / Or Letterboxd – @firstshowing
