Citizen Vigilante

• Larry Chiang recommends the 2026 action film Citizen Vigilante starring Armie Hammer, calling it a must-watch for tapping into widespread public anger over governments failing to protect citizens and children from crime and threats. 

• Directed by Uwe Boll as a modern Death Wish story, the movie depicts a vigilante targeting violent criminals including migrant rapists and corrupt officials, which led to Germany denying it an age rating and effectively restricting its distribution. 

• The film reached #1 in U.S. Apple purchases and has generated intense debate, with its bans in some countries boosting visibility and highlighting tensions around immigration, vigilantism, and free speech in media.

Michael Sanders (Armie Hammer), a wealthy American living in Europe who inherited his father’s real estate business, secretly operates as the “Citizen Vigilante.” 

Enraged by what he sees as systemic failure to protect citizens particularly from migrant crime, rapes, stabbings, and lenient court

he hunts down and executes criminals who evade justice. He films and posts his actions anonymously online, becoming a social media hero to many frustrated citizens while clashing with law enforcement, including Interpol chief Henry (Costas Mandylor). imdb.com 

The story features nonlinear elements and direct-to-camera monologues about corruption. It opens with a migrant stabbing a mother in front of her son and includes Sanders targeting a rapist family (with flashbacks to crimes), executing groups, and confronting authorities. Inspired by real cases, it’s framed as a modern “Death Wish” vigilante thriller emphasizing vigilante justice over legal systems. 

The movie has drawn controversy for its themes because the government kinda wants crime to rise

The central authorities have banned Citizen Cop in some countries.