Just perfect...

Although it has its amusing moments, in eneral the plot does not convince.

This is a dark and sometimes deeply uncomfortable drama

The storyline feels a little thin and moth-eaten in parts but this sequel is plenty of fun.

I really enjoyed watching this mini-series in parts on You-tube. In ten parts and each having 1-5 10 mins video time. First i read the book from chapter one to chapter 7 and while still not from beginning to end i decided to watch this film too before the end of book!!! warning to all about how this can result into a split imaginary thinking when returning to the book. The way i imagined the characters to be was somewhat different to what i read but found the film to be of great comparison. It was fun to fill in with my memory all the details of the weather and settings and recalling beforehand what would be said next etc. i found the acting to be wonderful by all the cast. lively and extravagant in bringing to life all the mad players. Theatrical in dramatics. I was impressed with the CGI and special effects and myself found it them all to be great in bringing to life such beautiful scenes and characters. overall- i'd like to rewatch the whole series after book completion so i can enjoy it again.

For English speaking viewers: If you can get past the subtitle problems, you're in for a real treat.The subtitles are 2 or 3 seconds late-synched for the first 65 or so minutes of Disc 1 making it very difficult to watch. After that they come back into synch and are merely bad, a problem with many foreign titles.Even with the subtitle problems, you'll be thoroughly entertained by a great adaptation of a most engaging novel. The 8-hour length allows Bortko to remain faithful to Bulgakov, and it's amazing to see how the novel works cinematically; decapitations, flying naked witches and crucifixions to name just some of the striking imagery. One can quibble with less-than-optimal special effects, but I'd rather see second-rate CGI in service of a good story than the tens of millions of dollars wasted on overblown blockbuster drivel. And if you see complaints about this or that actor, take it with a grain of salt and realize that Russians especially take characters from their literary heritage as seriously as anyone on earth.

Good job on all accounts. I do agree Kovalchuk was the weakest link in this production - she is just too young and inexperienced to play such a difficult part. Galibin was amazing as Master, his voice and movements are captivating. The rest of the cast was comprised of experienced and great performers, and they all worked very hard on the roles they were entrusted with. Dubbing instead of the recording during the shoot is actually an old technique used by great filmmakers in the past. It is very tedious and hard on actors but it ensures the best tone and intonation the actor can deliver for the particular moment and lines. It has nothing to do with Soviet era movies. If it sounds unnatural, it means the actor is not experienced in this craft and is not a good actor. Unfortunately, Ms. Kovalchuk completely failed that part, her tone and voice sounded very dull and unnatural. Other than that, I enjoyed watching this movie. Even my non-Russian speaking American husband watched the movie with a great deal of interest.

It should not be "surprising" that people like Basilashvili play well. They are GREAT ACTORS. However, although I respect and believe Basilashvili's choice in approaching Woland's character, I see the devil a little kinder and more alive. I also think that Abdulov, along with Fillipenko were the strongest players in the series. They portrayed their characters just as the book intended to present them.The cat played Sharikov more than he played clumsy and somewhat cute Begimot.But the biggest failure of the story was, in my opinion, Kovalchuk. Grunting and flaring of the nostrils does not necessarily indicate great acting. She did not grasp the essence of Margarita and that is a great shame!!! She is a lovely woman but has no emotional range to play such fragile characters.Overall, very good film!