07-05-19 Citizen X (1995)

Seen: May 13th, 2007
Format: DVD
Rating: 5

Evidently people are the same all the world over, regardless of ideologies. This can be a comforting or terrifying thing, depending on what aspect of humanity you're examining.

This takes on the terrifying.

What we have here is a serial killer drama. It's not a horror. It has less anatomical gore than any episode of CSI. It's not a thriller because we're shown the monster early in the film. It's a drama, because it's really focused on the people involved with the case and the transitions that they go through as the events drag out over several years.

Our villain is shown plainly and clearly. There's no shadowy silhouette, no shots of footsteps in the rain. He's a plain, frumpy guy. Nothing special on the outside, but twisted beyond repair on the inside. He's and everyman, in a country where the everyman is the epitome of the ideology. This is what makes him frightening to the everyone else in the film. If he is the product of The Party, what does that say about everyone else?

This is in stark contrast to our hero. He wants to be exceptional. Not from ego, not from ambition, but because he has passion and a work ethic. He cares about his job, cares about justice, cares about doing a good job. Much like the killer, he is internally driven to his objective.

This dichotomy is placed firmly in a Soviet Union that is finally crumbling under it's own ponderous weight. The conflict is not so much between the hunter and his hunted as it is between the hunter and the rough and even dangerous terrain he must negotiate to do his job, much less be successful.

The film is solid but nothing exceptional. Performances are generally good. Writing and pacing are appropriate. There is not so much action or excitement here. The psychological aspects are nothing new to viewers, though couching them in the context encourages us to recognize and review them.

This is evidently a true story. It's best viewed as historical drama about the Soviet Union set in the microcosm of a very lengthy investigation.

The Good: A look into Soviet Bureaucracy

The Bad: Soviet Bureaucracy

The Ugly: Quiet walks in the forest