- Actors: Stephen Rea, Donald Sutherland, Max von Sydow, Jeffrey DeMunn, Joss Ackland
- Directors: Chris Gerolmo
- Writers: Chris Gerolmo, Robert Cullen
- Producers: David R. Ginsburg, Laura Bickford, Matthew Chapman, Robert Stone, Timothy Marx
- Language English
- Classification: 18
- Studio: Mosaic
- VHS Release Date: 8 Sep 1997
- Run Time: 105 minutes
- Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
- ASIN: B00004CSJ8
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 7,763 in Video (See Top 100 in Video)
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
17 of 17 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
Ably directed by Chris Gerolmo and filmed entirely in Budapest, Hungary, CITIZEN X is the true story of the excruciating bureaucratic problems faced by a young forensic pathologist (Lt. Viktor Burakov, played to the hilt by Stephen Rea ) assigned as an investigator to the Soviet Union's worst serial murder. During Burakov's first night on the job as a crime pathologist, a young girl is brought in -- and immediately he notices that the detective was wrong saying she had been killed in a field. "Go back and look for evidence in a nearby wood," he orders the tired and bored policemen. "Now?!" they ask increduluosly. Burakov insists, now. Grudgingly they go back -- only to return with half a dozen decomposed bodies of youngsters from the nearby forest.
Thus begins CITIZEN X. When the next day an exhausted Burakov makes a report to a police committee on the grisly serial murder of children, his superior Col. Mikhail Fetisov (wonderfully well played by the irrascible Donald Sutherland) quietly winces. The Communist Party Secretary who wields the power in the room Comrade Bondarchuk (similarly well played, Russian accent and all, by British actor Joss Ackland) contemptously rejects Burakov's theory because, "serial murders are impossible in the USSR! Those only exist in the degenerate capitalist countries." Burakov is speechless.
Recognizing Bukarov's single minded dedication to solve the murders, Col. Fetisov assigns the bewildered pathologist to lead the investigation. The rest of the film takes us through the torturous experiences of Bukarov trying to track down the real murderer as fresh childen's bodies keep piling up. And as he gets closer to solving the crimes, the competing villain is the stifling bureaucratic Soviet system that is drowning in its own corrupted incompetence. Valuable time is being wasted as Comrade Bondarchuk becomes all the more menacing because Bukarov is not subordinating himself to this bureaucrat's wrong crime theories.
All of the supporting actors (Bukarov's angelic wife and his children) are as good in their roles as are those playing the main characters. But there is a continuity problem here. Twelve years were to have passed between the beginning of the film and the end, yet Lt. Burakov's children do not age in those twelve years. Later in the film, Max von Sidow's convincingly plays a clinical psychiatrist Dr. Alexandr Bukhanovsky who reluctantly agrees to try profiling the murderer (not really what he had been trained to do). Somewhere in the middle of all this, the Soviet Union undergoes a complete collapse. Yet Bukarov keeps investigating as though his life depended on it. The film's climax is spellbinding.
12 of 12 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
This is easily one of the best true-life serial killer films ever made, based on one of the most brutal, sadistic murderers of recent times, Andrei Chikatilo.
This story would no doubt be much more well known had the events happened in America, but because it was in Russia, the horrific nature of this case is still largely ignored compared to wide-spread coverage of western killers.
This film focuses on forensic pathologist Viktor Burakov, brilliantly played by Stephen Rea. We see the enormous struggles this man and his small team faced in catching a monster who preyed on women and children over a twelve-year killing spree. Burakov is eventually promoted to detective and placed in charge of the case, but he constantly finds himself banging his head against a brick wall, due to the "enemy within" , the Russian government, who refused to give him the help he needed to stop the vicious maniac.
The film brilliantly illustrates the bureaucracy that Burakov faced from his own side (Russian government refusing to believe that serial killers could exist in their part of the world), and we see the toll that such a job took on this man's mind after dealing with years of discovering horrifically mutilated and tortured victims, many of which were young children. The film chooses not to display the horrendous nature of Chikatilo's acts upon his victims, the violence is kept to a minimum in favour of focusing on Burakov's investigation.
This film is fantastic for anyone who is interested in the Chikatilo case, but it can also be appreciated if you are not familiar with these events. Great script, fantastic acting, atmosphere and a truly gripping story. Couldn't ask for more!
This story would no doubt be much more well known had the events happened in America, but because it was in Russia, the horrific nature of this case is still largely ignored compared to wide-spread coverage of western killers.
This film focuses on forensic pathologist Viktor Burakov, brilliantly played by Stephen Rea. We see the enormous struggles this man and his small team faced in catching a monster who preyed on women and children over a twelve-year killing spree. Burakov is eventually promoted to detective and placed in charge of the case, but he constantly finds himself banging his head against a brick wall, due to the "enemy within" , the Russian government, who refused to give him the help he needed to stop the vicious maniac.
The film brilliantly illustrates the bureaucracy that Burakov faced from his own side (Russian government refusing to believe that serial killers could exist in their part of the world), and we see the toll that such a job took on this man's mind after dealing with years of discovering horrifically mutilated and tortured victims, many of which were young children. The film chooses not to display the horrendous nature of Chikatilo's acts upon his victims, the violence is kept to a minimum in favour of focusing on Burakov's investigation.
This film is fantastic for anyone who is interested in the Chikatilo case, but it can also be appreciated if you are not familiar with these events. Great script, fantastic acting, atmosphere and a truly gripping story. Couldn't ask for more!
12 of 12 people found the following review helpful
Format:VHS Tape
If your looking for a film with a bit more substance then the mainstream Hollywood tripe, then you need look no further. Based on a true story, the film recalls the hunt for a serial killer in soviet Russia. Whether you have an interest in criminology or not, the film is equally engaging and moving. Well worth watching.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Perfectly understated
Stephen Rae's character carries the burden of the Soviet Union's inefficiencies as he is put in charge, as a forensic scientist, of a serial murder case. Read more
Published 9 months ago by Ian Hunter
Brilliant little movie!
This is not a gory voyeuristic serial-killer movie, but a moving portrayal of the dilligence of the detectives involved in this real life story, and of a very important time in... Read more
Published 11 months ago by Style junkie
Well worth a watch
If you love your detective films this is a must for you.
Stephen Rea gives a brilliant performance. It is unfortunate this film is one of his lesser known ones. Read more
Stephen Rea gives a brilliant performance. It is unfortunate this film is one of his lesser known ones. Read more
Published 12 months ago by touchtheclouds
A European 'Silence Of The Lambs' Which Packs An Emotional Punch
Admirers of the Jonathan Demme film mentioned above ought to see this, as indeed anyone who found the grisly scenes in that Oscar-winning production off-putting. Read more
Published 17 months ago by Philoctetes
Wonderful film
Having seen this film on TV it has been on my wanted DVD list for ages, but having initially not been able to find it on DVD I had forgotten it. Read more
Published 20 months ago by John H. Everington
a dvd for people who appreciate good acting
this is a story of a man who fights those above him,who refuse to accept that a serial killer of children is in their mist. Read more
Published 20 months ago by J. bennett
Citizen X
Excellent film based on the 90's serial killer in the Ukraine of the Soviet era. The acting by the principal actors, Donald Sutherland, Stephen Rea, Max Von Sydow, Jeffrey DeMunn,... Read more
Published 21 months ago by H. Wilson
One to remember!
Ever seen a movie that just grips you from the start and won't let go?
Well this is one of those movies. Read more
Well this is one of those movies. Read more
Published 21 months ago by Gary Sheils
Citizen X
Superb little film-had it on video after it was shown on telly and promptly forgot about it until I trawled Amazon looking for a copy of "Gorky Park" and noticed "Citizen X" for... Read more
Published 22 months ago by MR Paul Dobbs
Made more scary by the fact it is true
This film is amazing and a terrible insight into the twisted working of some high ranking people behind the iron curtain. Read more
Published on 1 Mar 2010 by L. A. Pyne-edwards
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