Review of Citizen X (1995) by Lestat L — 07 Apr 2004

Barely making it into my top 50 list is Citizen X, debuting at No.50, edging Last Samurai off. By the time you read this, it may not even be left in my top 50, as more movies are rated. But Citizen X is one compelling piece of drama and a damning indictment of the tragedy of beauracracy and nepotism. Like the INSIDER, Citizen X has in its central theme the idea of a Man trying to do the RIGHT THING, but forced by circumstances has his hand tied behind his back. Stephen Rea, is a forensic pathologist in communist Russia in the 80s when bodies of murdered people, many of which are children and teens turn up dead in the woods. Determined to stop the serial killer, He begins a one man crusade to bring him to justice, but is stonewalled by a rigid Communist Beauracracy loathe to admit to such a decadent act in their pristine world. Such decadence and serial killers they assert is a product only of the "immoral west". Meanwhile, as the beauracrats thwart Rea's investigation efforts, more people die. Taut and well directed and acted, the movie is a damning indictment of the Communist regime who wants to sweep the problem of serial killings under the carpet, in spite of blatant evidence of the murders between an 8 year period from 1982 to 1990. Citizen X is based on a true story and it uncannily parallels a recent real life example. In late 2002, Communist China had known of the illness now know as SARS in the country but had kept mum about it, refusing to turn to international assistance. It was only till it was exported via HK overseas that they were finally forced to come clean about the extent of the near epidemic. It seems that, whether its 1982 or 2002, some things don't change.

I'm not a fan of communism and this film reaffirms my support for democracy. But this is not a film about communism. It is a film about beauracracy stifling a Man's desire to do the right thing. It is about a repressed individual, his psychology stifled in this communist state, driven to murder, this Citizen X, an ultimately addicted to murder to compensate for his inadequacies in life. A taut and engaging drama well worth your time.

On a side note, i'm feeling terrible today, having failed my 2nd driving test :( :rotten: :rotten: :rotten: partly because of my fucked up test vehicle, which stalled AND malfunctioned during my test. WTF! Am I really so unlucky to get such a vehicle and tester? Or am I a whiny person who can't get over his failure? I dunno but the Crash course in driving, where we are bascially hothoused into learning driving in a ridiclously short period of time is really getting me. Well lets hope I have better news of my 3rd driving test. On a positive note, there's the Good Friday holiday for me to look forward to :cool: