Elon Musk posts Armie Hammer's 'Citizen Vigilante' on X
Elon Musk posted Armie Hammer's controversial comeback film "Citizen Vigilante" to his X account on Friday, sharing the indie actioner with his roughly 240 million followers. The move gave extraordinary visibility to a Uwe Boll-directed project already banned in Germany for violent, anti-migrant content before the link went dark Saturday. Variety reports the share amplified a film that had climbed to No. 2 on the Apple TV charts and drew scathing reviews from critics.
Key Takeaways
- Elon Musk posted Armie Hammer's "Citizen Vigilante" on X on Friday, reaching about 240 million followers.
- The Uwe Boll-directed film was banned in Germany and released in the U.S. on June 19.
- Variety's review called the film violent, incoherent, and potentially harmful to Hammer's comeback.
- Musk later praised a sequel, writing that "Citizen Vigilante 2" will be even better.
- The shared link went offline on Saturday after roughly 48 hours.
Why Did Elon Musk Share 'Citizen Vigilante' on X?
Musk's Friday post amplified a film that had already climbed the charts. The day before the link went dark, he replied to an X post showing "Citizen Vigilante" as the No. 2 movie on the Apple TV charts, writing, "'Citizen Vigilante 2' will be even better."
The endorsement came from one of social media's largest platforms. For more on how streaming titles break out online, see our Streaming & TV Alerts coverage.
What Is 'Citizen Vigilante' About?
Directed and written by 60-year-old German filmmaker Uwe Boll, "Citizen Vigilante" follows Hammer as an American abroad in Europe on a blood-soaked mission to eliminate criminal migrants. The cast also includes Costas Mandylor, Désirée Giorgetti, Steffen Mennekes, Neb Chupin, and Mukit Abdul Hamid.
According to Variety, the film was notably banned in Boll's home country for depicting abhorrent violence and for being anti-migrant, citing The Telegraph. It was released in the U.S. on June 19.
How Has the Film Been Received?
Critical response has been harsh. In Variety's review, critic Todd Gilchrist wrote that Boll "delivers a violent, incoherent, morally bankrupt slice of exploitation" on par with "House of the Dead," "Alone in the Dark," and "BloodRayne." Gilchrist added that the film is so bad it almost feels like Boll is "deliberately sabotaging his star Armie Hammer, whose intended comeback can only be harmed by this project."
Hammer, known for "The Social Network," "Call Me By Your Name," and "Sorry to Bother You," saw his career collapse in 2021 amid sexual assault allegations. He denied the claims, and prosecutors declined to file charges in 2023.
What Happened After Musk's Post?
Boll took to X on Saturday to announce that "Citizen Vigilante 2" will release in 2027. Musk's earlier chart reply signaled enthusiasm for the sequel even as the original share link disappeared after about 48 hours.
The episode underscores how a single post from Musk can thrust a fringe title into the mainstream conversation—whether critics see that spotlight as a boost or a burden for Hammer's attempted return.