Elon Musk's promotion of Armie Hammer's controversial new film 'Citizen Vigilante' has led to a worldwide distribution deal with Quiver Distribution, The Hollywood Reporter confirmed Tuesday. The film, which marks Hammer's first major role since allegations of sexual misconduct and assault emerged five years ago, was given a free download on X by Musk last week.
Director Reacts to Musk's Surprise Support
German filmmaker Uwe Boll told Variety he initially thought Musk's message came from a parody account. 'It was very quick, you know. I think this guy, I don't know what he's doing per day, but I think his attention went like fast, you know. So, I felt also if we don't in a way agree to do it, he would've just moved on,' Boll said.
'Citizen Vigilante' follows Michael Sanders, played by Hammer, an American businessman who wages a gun-toting crusade against officials and immigrant perpetrators of violence in Croatia. The film was released in the U.S. last month to little fanfare and negative reviews.
Critical Reception and Controversy
Variety critic Todd Gilchrist called the film 'a violent, incoherent, morally bankrupt slice of exploitation,' blasting Hammer's character as 'xenophobic and entitled as the broadest American stereotype.' Salon's Coleman Spilde deemed it 'a bigoted pile of garbage.'
The movie reportedly caught Musk's attention after Boll confirmed it was blocked from traditional promotion in Germany due to concerns that its depictions of anti-immigrant violence could inspire copycat attacks. Musk, a longtime ally of President Donald Trump, shared a link to stream the film on X, writing, 'This is what people want to see.'
Boll Defends the Film
In his interview with Variety, Boll argued that many critics opposed the film's views rather than the film itself. 'They cannot stand to face the political reality,' he said. He also hinted at plans for a sequel, hoping Hammer will reprise his role. 'When you make a successful movie, you always hope that you can make a second part, and it would make sense to send [Sanders] to England or to send him to America, and then we go from there,' Boll said.
Hammer's Return to Acting
Though Hammer has long denied the allegations against him, he took some responsibility in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter last month. 'I made these problems for myself. This didn't happen to me by a fluke accident. I didn't do what people are saying I did. But I brought very dangerous and unsafe people into my life, and I pissed off people in my life — and here we are,' he said. He admitted he 'cried' when he received the offer to appear in 'Citizen Vigilante,' noting, 'I would have done a f***ing cat food commercial. I just wanted to work again.'
