Elon Musk made the film “Citizen Vigilante” temporarily available for free viewing on his social media platform X in late June, generating significant attention that briefly pushed the movie into streaming charts on major platforms. The film, directed by German filmmaker Uwe Boll and starring actor Armie Hammer, depicts graphic violence by an American vigilante targeting police, judges, and civilians in an unnamed European country. The movie was initially denied a rating by German film regulators before gaining prominence through Musk’s promotion.
Musk’s support for the film exemplifies what researchers describe as an increasing pattern of amplifying far-right political ideas and activists across Europe. According to Georgios Samaras, an assistant professor at King’s College London who studies the far right, Musk leverages his considerable influence and financial resources to promote ideologies he favors. Since acquiring Twitter in 2022 and rebranding it as X, Musk has reduced content moderation practices, creating what observers characterize as a platform conducive to far-right movements and conspiracy theories.
Musk’s social media activity has demonstrated growing engagement with white nationalist rhetoric, including reposting messages portraying white people as under threat. He has publicly endorsed Marine Le Pen of France’s National Rally party and boosted right-wing politicians across Germany, the Netherlands, Austria, and the UK. The tech entrepreneur has also championed the term “remigration,” which anti-immigration advocates use to describe mass deportations, including of legal migrants.
The Center for Countering Digital Hate documented approximately 4,000 calls for violence on X posted in response to content from Musk, far-right activist Tommy Robinson, and right-wing politician Rupert Lowe. Following a stabbing incident in Northern Ireland attributed to a Sudanese man, Musk shared protest location information with calls for repeated demonstrations, coinciding with subsequent civil disorder. When questioned about promoting a film depicting violence against a Muslim family, Musk characterized it as worth watching and reiterated concerns about immigration and cultural conflict, stating he believed a “reckoning” would occur between Western societies and groups with antithetical beliefs.
Film critics gave “Citizen Vigilante” largely negative reviews, with Variety describing it as “astonishingly bad,” though some conservative commentators defended its thematic content despite criticizing its execution. The film generated approximately $600,000 in streaming revenue against a $2 million budget following the publicity from Musk’s platform promotion.
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