Rating: 
Summary: "A Man Is What He Fights For" - Soviet Search For Citizen X
Review: From Robert Cullen's true crime novel, "The Killer Department" comes HBO Studio's "Citizen X". Originally cablecast on HBO February 25, 1995, Donald Sutherland won the Golden Globe for Supporting Role Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture Made for TV in 1996 and also the Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Special in 1995.Based on the true story of the eight year long manhunt in communist Soviet Union (1982 - 1990) for one of the most savage and elusive serial killers on record - Andrei Chikatilo (a chilling Jeffrey DeMunn). The story starts out with newbie forensic pathologist, Viktor Burakov (a great Stephen Rea), and his first cadaver that comes into the morgue. A quick nightime search of the wooded area where the body was found is completed with eight MORE bodies found in varying degrees of decomposition and desication. All are children, boys and girls alike and have been murdered, raped and mutilated in some very odd ways. Viktor, somehow, is put in charge of the WHOLE blessed case by Colonel Mikhail Fetisov (Donald Sutherland). With Viktor now being forensic expert, detective, and case cracker extraordinaire, he is more than a little wary of his own capabilites and feels like the only man who cares about these horrific murders that are taking place. The investigation continues on for many years with many murders being committed over time because the case is being buried under the communist parties' government red tape and "poo pooing" by the Colonel's superior and sinister leader, Bondarchuk (Joss Ackland). Thankfully and finally the cold war hits and Viktor is given permission to bring in a psychiatrist, Dr. Alexandr Bukhanovsky (Max von Sydow) to create a psychological profile of the serial rapist and murder. Not only is this the first case of serial murder in the USSR but the first to employ psychological profiles, US FBI tactics, and dissemination of the crimes to the general populus. With fifty-two victims to his name, the killer they deem "Citizen X" finally takes shape right before their eyes... Watch this doozy of a true crime story and see if they "KATCH THEIR KILLER"! All of the performances are top-notch with only a bit of the Russian accents faltering a bit, even in Sutherland's double award-winning portrayal. Rea, DeMunn, and von Sydow also deserved awards for their truly engrossing performances. If you like true crime or the Hannibal stories, you are sure to enjoy this film! Happy Watching and Don't Talk To "Strangers On The Train"...
Rating:
Summary: Terrific Police Procedural, With A Great Performance By Rea
Review: In the 1980's a serial killer was on the loose in Soviet Russia. He killed at least 52 people, most of them under 17, boys and girls alike. He usually abused them sexually and often in terrible ways. The position of the party during these years he was killing was that there were no serial killers in the Soviet Union; that this sort of thing was a decadent Western phenomenon. The reaction of the police as the early victims were discovered was one of apathy.
Citizen X is based on this true story. Steven Rea plays Viktor Burakow, a forensics man who is promoted to police lieutenant and told to find the killer. Donald Sutherland plays Col. Mikhail Fetisov, a career politician in the mitlitia and Burakow's boss. Burakow is at first out of his depth, with no resources to call on and a high degree of contempt coming from the police he must work with. He proves, however, to be absolutely dedicated to catching this monster and relentless in going about it. It takes years. Donald Sutherland plays Fetisov as a cool and effective operator within the system, and who becomes just as dedicated to finding the killer and to protecting Burakow.
This is a first-rate police procedural that contains much political commentary on a system that was enmeshed in corruption, apathy and political blindness. The acting is outstanding; not just Rea and Sutherland, but Max von Sydow as a Moscow psychiatrist who eventually agrees to help draw up a profile of the killer. Von Sydow, when interviewing the killer after he is caught, somehow manages to convey a complex mixture of empathy and disgust. Jeffrey Demunn is equally effective as the killer, an insignificant man with terrible problems. Joss Ackland has a small but effective role as a repellant, powerful Communist official determined to keep things hidden. For those of you who have seen or plan to see Vera Drake with a great performance by Imelda Staunton, she plays Burakow's wife.
Citizen X was made as an HBO movie. It may not have all the bells and whistles in production values that a studio movie might have, but it looks very good and the story is effectively presented. Well worth adding to anyone's collection.
Rating: 
Summary: Interesting Detective Story
Review: Even though this is an interesting detective story, I wish it contained more forensic detail. Great acting. Supposed to be based on a true story, but I'm sure there is considerable poetic license here. If you are into mysteries and detective stories, I'd strongly recommend this one!
Rating:
Summary: Trying to capture a serial killer in the Soviet Union
Review: The body of a murdered child is found after a year in an unmarked grave and brought to a forensic scientist. He orders the officers to return to the forest where the body was found to search for clues. The officers return with the bodies of seven more children. The scientist concludes that there is a serial killer on the loose and tells his superiors that they must assign more men to the case and that the public has to be warned. But this does not happen and the scientist is told that he is mistaken because the Soviet Union does not have serial killers. Only the decadent nations of the West have such madmen.
"Citizen X" is the compelling true story of most prolific documented serial killer, Andrei Chikatilo (Jeffrey DeMunn), the "Rostov Ripper," who was eventually convicted of the murders of 52 people, most of whom were children under the age of 17. Lt. Viktor Burakov (Stephen Rea) is the second lieutenant from the criminology laboratory who is put in charge of the case by Col. Mikhail Fetisov (Donald Sutherland in an Emmy winning performance). Burakov knows what has to be done, but it thwarted at almost every turn, usually by Bondarchuck (Joss Ackland), a stereotypical Communist stooge, but also by Gorbunov (John Wood), whose ego has him thinking that he knows better than everybody else. Burakov wants more men and more computers, but that would be sending a message up the food chain that they cannot handle the problem. He wants to contact the foremost experts on serial killers at the F.B.I.'s office at Quantico, but he is denied permission. He tries to enlist the aid of psychiatrists in profiling the killer, and only one, Dr. Alexandr Bukhanovsky (Max von Sydow), is willing and it is he who studies the evidence and puts together a report on Citizen X.
The tragic irony of "Citizen X" is that the ineptitude of the Soviet bureaucracy plays as much of a role in setting the record as does Chikatilo's perversions. Chikatilo mutilates his victims, and while we are spared much of the gruesome details and sights, even those monstrous acts seem to pale when compared to the systemic indifference of the Soviet bureaucracy. With Burakov that have the right man in the right place, but they handicap him with orders to arrest homosexuals and coercing confessions out of a scapegoat. Even worse, almost from the start Burakov knows from questioning the families of the victims that the killer picks up his victims at railway stations. He crosses paths with the killer, but although he knows where to look, he does not know much about who or what he is looking for.
But Burakov is devoted to hunt. One of the best moments in the film is when he learns that he is venerated by the very men at Quantico that he is forbidden to contact. They consider him to be "an intelligent, methodical, painstakingly, passionate detective who would rather die than give up." He is, literally, the one man they would not want pursuing them. He has won the allegiance of the cynical officers in his unit, and the respect of Col. Fetisov, who uses blackmail to protect the investigation and tries to teach Burakov the nuances of manipulating the bureaucracy. Meanwhile, Burakov inspires Fetisov to start acting like a human being once again and the day comes when "Peristroika" finally unshackles Burakov from the crippling restrictions he has endured for so long. Now, he has the manpower and the means, and all he needs is a final, fresh victim, a grim thought that has driven Burakov to tears on more than one occasion.
Directed and written for the screen by Chris Gerolmo, from the book "The Killer Department: by Robert Cullen, "Citizen X" works well on the small screen, which is better suited to a manhunt that lasts about two decades. Gerolmo has made the story less about procedure and more about the personalities. After all, there are years where little happens in this case, and it is only Burakov's dedication that provides the sense of continuity. This is a made for cable move that starts and finishes strong, with the growing horror over not only the killings but the bureaucracy's indifference to the crimes early on and the pivotal scene at the end when the murderer is finally all alone in a room with the one man who can break him.
Rating:
Summary: A must-watch
Review: "Citizen X" boasts a brilliant cast which includes Stephen Rea, Donald Sutherland, Max Von Sydow and Jeffrey DeMunn. It also offers viewers a compelling storyline about one of the most prolific serial killers in history and the man who finally brought him to justice. We follow an honest, driven cop (Rea) as he negotiates his way through the labyrinth of denial and bureaucratic stonewalling in the former Soviet Union.
Sutherland as an army Colonel who is at first just in it as a part of a grand political scheme, is affecting as a man who comes to understand the importance of Rea's work on a wholly human level. Von Sydow is wonderful (as always) as a psychiatrist who is willing to go against prevailing attitudes in his own field for the chance not only to help catch the killer, but to study him. And DeMunn is nothing short of amazing as the killer who provokes revulsion, anger and pity by turns.
This is a film which cannot leave you untouched. But be warned, it's a hard film to watch. It doesn't shrink from the details of the crimes or the harsh realities of life at the end of the Soviet Union.
Rating:
Summary: This is a must have....
Review: I think everything has pretty much been said in the previous reviews. Citizen X has that "Wow-factor" to it. Also, this movie is haunting.
Rating:
Summary: Better than 'Silence of the Lambs' and 'Seven'
Review: Citizen X, based on the true story written by Robert Cullen entitled 'The Killer Department', is a relatively accurate movie account about the serial killer Andrei Chikatilo, the deadliest serial killer ever known. Released August 7 of 2001, the movie runs 103 minutes, almost giving it ample time to ensure the story line doesn't suffer and the key elements of this true story stay reasonably intact. Produced by Citadel Entertainment and Asylum Films, it pulled in several nominations and awards including the Cable Ace Award and an Emmy and Golden Globe for best supporting actor (Donald Sutherland). Set in the Soviet Union before the fall of the Iron Curtain, Director Chris Gerolmo intertwines a manhunt along with the difficulties of dealing with the political system of the time. Andrei Chikatilo, played by Jeffrey DeMunn, is the serial killer whose murders have spanned several years, killing a total of 52 people, 35 of which were under 17 years old. Stephen Rea plays the forensic specialist, Lt. Viktor Burakov, assigned to the case and in place of modern technology uses his intuition to understand and track the killer down, later finding out that all of his guesses were extremely accurate. Donald Sutherland plays Col. Mikhail Fetisov, the military figure Burakov reports to. Sutherland does an impressive job in playing this role and is able to show the more humane side of the character. I would have to say that the parts of the film dealing with the political resistance and their ignorance rival the aspects of the story dealing with the killer himself. This film definitely deserves 4 stars, 5 would've been given if the run time could have been extended just a bit, allowing for more of the storyline to be added. For those who enjoy such films as 'The Bone Collector', Silence of the Lambs', and 'Seven', this film is a must see. Keeping in mind that when most films are derived from a book there is much lost in production. This movie, however, does better than most considering the actual events spanned over 7 years.
Rating:
Summary: "A Man Is What He Fights For" - Soviet Search For Citizen X
Review: From Robert Cullen's true crime novel, "The Killer Department" comes HBO Studio's "Citizen X". Originally cablecast on HBO February 25, 1995, Donald Sutherland won the Golden Globe for Supporting Role Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture Made for TV in 1996 and also the Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Special in 1995. Based on the true story of the eight year long manhunt in communist Soviet Union (1982 - 1990) for one of the most savage and elusive serial killers on record - Andrei Chikatilo (a chilling Jeffrey DeMunn). The story starts out with newbie forensic pathologist, Viktor Burakov (a great Stephen Rea), and his first cadaver that comes into the morgue. A quick nightime search of the wooded area where the body was found is completed with eight MORE bodies found in varying degrees of decomposition and desication. All are children, boys and girls alike and have been murdered, raped and mutilated in some very odd ways. Viktor, somehow, is put in charge of the WHOLE blessed case by Colonel Mikhail Fetisov (Donald Sutherland). With Viktor now being forensic expert, detective, and case cracker extraordinaire, he is more than a little wary of his own capabilites and feels like the only man who cares about these horrific murders that are taking place. The investigation continues on for many years with many murders being committed over time because the case is being buried under the communist parties' government red tape and "poo pooing" by the Colonel's superior and sinister leader, Bondarchuk (Joss Ackland). Thankfully and finally the cold war hits and Viktor is given permission to bring in a psychiatrist, Dr. Alexandr Bukhanovsky (Max von Sydow) to create a psychological profile of the serial rapist and murder. Not only is this the first case of serial murder in the USSR but the first to employ psychological profiles, US FBI tactics, and dissemination of the crimes to the general populus. With fifty-two victims to his name, the killer they deem "Citizen X" finally takes shape right before their eyes... Watch this doozy of a true crime story and see if they "KATCH THEIR KILLER"! All of the performances are top-notch with only a bit of the Russian accents faltering a bit, even in Sutherland's double award-winning portrayal. Rea, DeMunn, and von Sydow also deserved awards for their truly engrossing performances. If you like true crime or the Hannibal stories, you are sure to enjoy this film! Happy Watching and Don't Talk To "Strangers On The Train"...
Rating:
Summary: Incredible
Review: HBO has put out some very good and respectable original movies over the years. Supergun, Path to War to name a few. But this movie that chronicles Russian serial killer Andres Chikatilo's murder spree is without question the finest movie that HBO has ever made. Sydow is the movie's standout....his performances are stunning throughout. Sutherland also deserves special mention. Lets be absolutely clear about this.....this is an ADULTS ONLY movie....it has much disturbing content. Put the kids to bed.....and be prepared for a chilling yet unforgettable movie.
Rating:
Summary: Shocking, absolutely shocking
Review: Ted Bundy. Jeffrey Dahmer. Andrei Chikatilo. Andrei Chikatilo? While the first two names are instantly recognizable, that last one raises shoulders. He belongs with the likes of Bundy, however, because Andrei Chikatilo was one of the most fearsome serial killers the modern world has ever seen. His murderous rampages took place in the former Soviet Union during the 1970s and 1980s, during a time when the hammer and sickle flew proudly over the Kremlin, Russian troops invaded Afghanistan, and Jimmy Carter boycotted the Olympics. He preyed on children riding trains, killing over fifty of them before the authorities finally brought him to justice. Chikatilo's trial, which took place after the fall of communism, saw the monster secured in a large cage in the courtroom as the parents of the victims wept, fainted, and hurled invectives at the seemingly mild mannered man. They had a good reason to be angry. For years, Chikatilo killed with impunity within a system that termed serial killers a "decadent western phenomenon," a system that continually ignored, mismanaged, and outright lied about the horrors unfolding in the forests around Rostov, the city where Chikatilo lived and practiced his abhorrent activities. Fortunately, the court found Andrei Chikatilo guilty of mass murder and imposed a sentence of capital punishment. Thanks to Russian prison authorities, Chikatilo has since exited this mortal coil. "Citizen X" is more than the story of Andrei Chikatilo, a marvelously acted, written, and directed tale that succeeds because it goes beyond the story of a killer to tell a truth about communism and the former Soviet Union. The story begins when a local cop brings in a body to the office of the new forensic pathologist in Rostov, Viktor Burakov (Stephen Rea). When the doctor tells the cop to head back out and look for evidence, more bodies start pouring into the office. Obviously, the authorities have a problem on their hands. But in Soviet Russia, the police can't do anything without attending seeking permission from committees made up of local military officers, KGB, and party apparatchiks. Burakov goes in front of this body to report his findings and request funds to buy the necessary equipment to launch an investigation. He mistakenly mentions "serial killer" in the process, which outrages Bondarchuk (Joss Ackland), the local representative of the communist party. He denies a serial killer could ever arise in the people's paradise, labeling it a "decadent western phenomenon." Other members of the panel attribute the crimes to gypsies or other "social undesirables." Only one man, Colonel Mikhail Fetisov (Donald Sutherland), is willing to listen to Burakov's claims-and even then only outside the conference room. Fetisov knows how the bureaucracy works whereas Burakov doesn't. The efforts to catch the killer while dealing with red tape forms the critical link that eventually unites the two men. Meanwhile, the killings continue. We learn that one Andrei Chikatilo (Jeffrey DeMunn), a disgruntled factory worker with serious inadequacy issues, takes his frustrations out on the wayward children who spend their days riding the trains. By preying on kids ignored by society, Chikatilo can and has escaped detection for years. He escapes his fate for a few more years despite efforts by Burakov to detain him. It turns out Chikatilo is a member of the communist party and thus immune from the normal procedures involved in a criminal case. Bondarchuk orders Burakov to release Chikatilo, thus allowing the killer to commit crimes for several more years. When the Soviet Union finally collapses in the early 1990s, Fetisov finally gains the power needed to launch a massive investigation. The investigators once again detain Chikatilo, but this time they bring in a psychologist by the name of Bukhanovsky (Max von Sydow) to conduct the interrogation. The film's conclusion shows us exactly what happened to Andrei Chikatilo after Fetisov, Burakov, and Bukhanovsky cracked the case. You'll get a measure of satisfaction watching the end of this film. "Citizen X" is a made for HBO film that should have played in the theaters. Everything works in the movie. The acting is superb, with special mention going to Rea, Sutherland, Ackland, and von Sydow. The Burakov character as played by Stephen Rea captures perfectly the years of personal pathos an investigator undergoes during a murder investigation, as well as the futility of knocking one's head against the rigid communist party system. Sutherland, too, gives the movie a measure of dignity. His character at first comes off as hardhearted, but as the plot progresses we discover he too wants more than anything to catch this killer. Sutherland and Rea possess great chemistry that shows every time the two are on screen together. Ackland as the dogmatic communist with a secret of his own is a great addition to the cast. Von Sydow steals every scene he's in; my favorite part of the film happens when Bukhanovsky and Chikatilo are talking during the interrogation and the killer finally breaks down. The look von Sydow's character casts towards the two-way glass is brilliant in the way it conveys a whole host of emotions in the space of a single second. DeMunn too is fantastic. Actually, all the performances achieve a level of greatness rarely seen in a non-theatrical production. Beware as you watch "Citizen X." The scenes of violence involving Chikatilo and some of his victims are extremely tough to watch. They even made this horror film fan cringe. As for the DVD, you don't get much other than some cast and crew biographies. Still, you won't miss extras that much with this movie. "Citizen X" may well be one of the best movies made about how the authorities track down a serial killer. For a fine viewing experience, give this one a watch soon.
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