Classics: A Review of Citizen X By Lauren Ennis

"There are no serial killers in the Soviet Union; it is a decadent Western phenomenon" Colonel Bondarchuk tells forensic pathologist Viktor Burakov. This official position of the Soviet government is soon proven false, however, when a series of mutilated corpses are uncovered in the Rostov region. 1995's HBO crime drama Citizen X follows the true story of the team who, after eight years and over fifty murders finally apprehended one of Russia's most notorious serial killers. At once  taut police procedural and an engrossing character study Citizen X might just be the best drama never to be released in theaters.

The story begins in 1982 when a body is discovered on a collective farm in the Rostov region. The ensuing search uncovers six more mutilated bodies in various states of decay. Local forensic pathologist Viktor Burakov quickly deduces that the killings are the work of a serial killer. He brings his findings to his superiors only to be scorned for even suggesting that there could be a serial killer at work in the USSR. AS his requests for resources continue to be ignored bodies continue to pile up. While the official party position remains unchanged, Burakov eventually finds an unlikely ally in his shrewd and politically savvy commanding officer, Colonel Mikhail Fetisov. Together, the duo set out to bring a killer to justice whether the party wants them to or not.

In an era riddled with exploitative and inaccurate "true" crime dramas, Citizen X stands out for its understated portrait not of a killer, but of the ordinary men who brought him to justice in the face of a system that allowed him to thrive. By shifting the focus from Chikatilo to the police force pursuing him the film avoids either overly humanizing him or making him into a larger than life villain. By focusing on the obstacles the police face in their pursuit the film shows that Chikatilo was not some mastermind but instead a common criminal reaping the benefits of a corrupt and incompetent justice system. The film's depiction of the state's refusal to acknowledge the presence of a serial killer, even at the expense of its own children is nothing short of chilling. Similarly, the blunt portrayal of the state's efforts to blame the crimes on such 'undesirables' as Romani minorities, homosexuals, and the cognitively impaired highlights the ways in which the state attempted to utilize the crisis for its own ends even at the cost of allowing a killer to go free. Even as it offers a damning indictment of the callousness of the Soviet state, however, the film still provides hope in its depiction of Burakov and Fetisov's dogged pursuit of the killer. The duo act as an apt reminder of the human decency that continues to exist even in the midst of the most oppressive systems and the darkest of times. For a crime drama that they just don't make them like anymore follow Burakov and Fetisov on the trail of Citizen X.

"To be a psychiatrist in this country is to be an expert on paranoia; whether you meant to be or not"

The film transports viewers to the desperate final years of the Soviet Union thanks to the work of its star-studded cast. Imelda Staunton brings much needed warmth and compassion to her role as Burakov's devoted wife. Joss Ackland personifies the bluster and obstinance of state bureaucracy as Colonel Bondarchuk. Max von Sydow infuses his brief turn as psychiatrist Alexander Bukhanovsky with wit and awkward charm. Jeffrey Demunn turns in a masterful performance as the killer, Andrei Chikatilo. Demunn avoids the usual cliches so common in serial killer dramas by presenting Chikatilo not as either a genius mastermind or a misunderstood figure but instead as a pathetic, cowardly, parasite. Even in the midst of apt supporting performances the film belongs to Stephen Rea and Donald Sutherland as Burakov and Fetisov. Sutherland blends cool charisma with pathos as he portrays Fetisov's evolution from cynical bureaucrat to man of principal. Rea's performance is nothing short of wrenching as he portrays Burakov's passion for justice and the psychological toll that the case takes on him. Bonus points to all for the added effort of using Eastern European accents.

At once a harrowing depiction of a single case and a damning indictment of the system that prolonged it, Citizen X is easily one of the most compelling crime dramas ever put to screen. The script portrays the facts of the case while still putting a human face on this dark chapter in Russian history. The performances bring the key player in the case to vivid, and at times visceral, life. In an era dominated by gratuitous and glamorized "true" crime dramas Citizen X continues to set itself apart for its unflinching portrayal of a series of heinous crimes and the system that allowed them to occur.

For more Russian history be sure to check out my debut novel A Boy's Best Comrade available now on Amazon and wherever books are sold

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