Imagine reviewing a film in 2022 because the story caught your attention. Thinking nothing of it, you enjoy it and move on. Now, four years later, picture that same actor having to live out their once fictional portrayal. That’s the story of Meduza. Directed by Roc Morin, Meduza tells the life-altering story of actor, artist, and photographer, Pavlo Aldoshyn. The man who once competed on Ukraine’s version of The Voice now sits on the frontline of a war.
The film I reviewed in 2022 is called Sniper: The White Raven. In it, Pavlo plays a peaceful physics teacher and eco-settler who seeks revenge after his family is killed by Russian invaders. Once he joins the Ukrainian army, he becomes a prolific sniper, based on the real-life story of Mykola Voronin. Filmed two years before the full-scale invasion by Russia, the role would end up a divine assignment, as Aldoshyn would be recruited as an actual sniper on the front line.
The film opens with the hot-fire creation of missiles. The first six minutes set expectations for an incredible story. As a canon fires, the sign of war doubles as the official start to the film. Filming of The White Raven ended just before the war, with Pavlo having trained with professional snipers for the role. His wife, Katarina Leonova, felt like God was preparing him for this war (Russia-Ukraine).
The film’s title comes from the Ukrainian word for jellyfish, “Medusa”. Just as a jellyfish’s medusa stage represents a transformation from a polyp to a free-flowing organism, the film uses the title as a metaphor for change, identity, and the unpredictable aspects of Pavlo’s journey. He couldn’t have predicted that after leaving the stage on The Voice, he would be fighting in a war as a full-blown assassin. But it’s this level of depth that pays homage to Pavlo, as there’s much more to him than it seems.
Pavlo Aldoshyn is very deep, explaining his spiritual connection to everything and everyone. He shared an interesting story about shooting a rabbit. After he killed it, he apologized and even explained why he shot it. Aside from being an actor, Pavlo is also a photographer. He juxtaposes the imperfections of the sniper lens with those of a professional camera, complementing the clarity of a camera lens. The term “shooter” applies to both an assassin and a photographer, roles that Aldoshyn now claims. He ends an in-depth line of questioning with a poetic line: “a sniper takes the final photograph.”
The film dives into spirituality and the complex mind of Aldoshyn. Unlike the film role he’s known for, there’s more to hear and examine in this film. One of the core strengths lies in the visuals. Olena Chorna takes us through the destruction in Horenka, Ukraine. While showing the devastation around her, she refers to a list of unexploded munitions. Getting emotional once approaching her home, she takes the cameraman inside, guiding him through the aftermath. Out front, artifacts of beekeeping represent a past life that, at this point, she’ll never know if she’ll see again. The film’s downfall lies in its disjointed layout. What starts as an interesting segue to a Japanese diver, then a DJ in India, turns into a cumbersome wheel of talking heads, distracting us from the focal character. What the jellyfish represents was commensurate with the museum feature and the DNA Research Institute. The rest of the features felt unnecessary (and the trailer was a bit misleading).
Meduza gets a 7.5 out of 10. The extraneous features distract instead of adding to the story. The visuals are what sell it, on top of hearing directly from Pavlo and his wife. More could’ve been done sell the power of this transformation, but it’s still a good watch. The film’s slow pace is a bit of a drag, but not enough to ruin a good thing. The film is worth a watch, as it feels like a salute and an act of respect to a great man (Pavlo).
Meduza premieres digitally today, tied to the fourth anniversary of the war in Ukraine.
-Jon Jones
Photos: Courtesy of buffalo 8
Genre: Documentary
Rating: Unrated
Runtime: 1 hr 30 minutes
Trailer: Watch
U.S. Release Date: February 20, 2026