Director Uwe Boll has spoken out after Elon Musk unexpectedly boosted his film "Citizen Vigilante," starring Armie Hammer in his first major role since facing allegations of sexual misconduct and assault. The movie, distributed by Quiver Distribution, gained a significant, albeit surprising, promotion when Musk shared a link for a free download on his platform X.
Boll, speaking to Variety, described his initial disbelief at receiving a message from Musk, thinking it was a parody account. He noted the rapid nature of Musk's involvement, stating that if they hadn't agreed to the promotion, Musk likely would have "just moved on."
"Citizen Vigilante" centers on Michael Sanders, an American businessman portrayed by Hammer, who engages in violent actions against officials and immigrants in Croatia. The film was released domestically last month with limited fanfare and garnered negative reviews. Critics described it as "a violent, incoherent, morally bankrupt slice of exploitation" with a xenophobic and entitled protagonist. One review from Salon called it "a bigoted pile of garbage."
The film reportedly drew Musk's attention after Boll confirmed it had been prohibited from traditional promotional channels in Germany due to concerns over its depiction of anti-immigrant violence.
Musk, who has been a public ally of former President Donald Trump, shared the full movie stream on X last week. He also posted that "This is what people want to see," referencing a report that the film had reached the No. 1 spot on Amazon Prime Video.
Boll suggested that some critics may have reacted more strongly to the political themes presented in "Citizen Vigilante" than to the film's artistic merits, stating, "They cannot stand to face the political reality." He also expressed interest in making a sequel, potentially featuring Hammer.
Hammer, who has consistently denied the allegations against him, acknowledged in a recent interview that his personal issues stemmed from his own actions and associations. He stated, "I brought very dangerous and unsafe people into my life, and I pissed off people in my life — and here we are." He also admitted to being emotional upon receiving the offer to star in "Citizen Vigilante," expressing a strong desire to work again, even considering a "fucking cat food commercial."