A new film starring Armie Hammer, Citizen Vigilante, has been made available for free viewing on social media platform X for a limited 48-hour window, sparking renewed debate over its controversial content and the actor’s return to the screen.
The German-produced action-thriller, directed by Uwe Boll, sees Hammer portray a businessman who transforms into a vigilante, targeting violent criminals, rapists, and corrupt judges.
Released earlier this month, the film has drawn significant criticism for its extreme violence and alleged anti-immigration stance. Germany notably refused to grant it a rating, effectively banning its release within the country.
The film’s official X account announced its free availability on Thursday, describing it as “the movie Hollywood doesn’t want you to see,” with access concluding at 3pm BST on Saturday, 27 June.
Director, writer, and producer Boll explained in a series of posts that the film was uploaded “exclusively” on X for the “whole world to see.”
In a video shared on his personal account, the 61-year-old filmmaker addressed the controversy, stating that Citizen Vigilante “represents 50 per cent of the population” who believe “we cannot continue with these unbelievable, wrong migration policies in Europe and America.”
Boll further discussed the German ban in an interview with The Telegraph last week, asserting it was “on purpose” and a “deliberate censorship decision.” He recounted: “I hired a lawyer to complain about it, but we lost in a six-two vote, as I was told that the film was inciting violence against migrants.”
The director revealed he cast Hammer in the lead role “because he was cancelled and wanted to work.”
The 39-year-old US actor’s career faced significant disruption in 2021 following a series of sexual abuse and misconduct accusations, which he vehemently denied. In 2023, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office opted not to press charges against Hammer in connection with these allegations.
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Hammer, who had expressed a desire to return to acting, told The Hollywood Reporter earlier this month that he had received no job offers for five years.
He is widely recognised for his role alongside Timothée Chalamet in Call Me by Your Name, as well as appearances in Sir Kenneth Branagh’s Death On The Nile (2022), The Social Network, The Man From Uncle (2015), and Lone Ranger.
Since filming Citizen Vigilante, Hammer has participated in three additional low-budget productions: a Western titled Frontier Crucible, the thriller Night Driver, and an as-yet-unannounced film shot in Bulgaria.