Following the controversy surrounding the film Citizen Vigilante and Germany’s decision to effectively block its distribution, Elon Musk has made the full film available to watch for free on X for a limited time.
Directed by German filmmaker Uwe Boll and starring Armie Hammer, the action thriller follows a wealthy American businessman living in Europe who becomes a feared vigilante after losing faith in the justice system. As he hunts violent criminals, rapists and corrupt judges, his campaign turns him into both a wanted fugitive and an unlikely public hero.
The controversy over the film began after Germany’s film ratings authority, the FSK, refused to grant Citizen Vigilante an age classification.
Unlike many countries where classification primarily determines the appropriate audience, Germany’s system means that a film without an FSK rating cannot legally enter normal commercial distribution thus making it commercially unavailable.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 25, 2026
Citizen Vigilante has become one of the most talked-about independent films of the week, with Elon Musk X post reaching to over 11 millions views in less than 24 hours.
Film director Uwe Boll publicly thanked Musk for making the film available and called on US President Donald Trump to watch it.
He said that the success of “Citizen Vigilante” demonstrated what he sees as growing public frustration with mainstream media and the film industry.
“The movie was widely ignored by the real industry,” Boll said in a video message thanking supporters after Musk uploaded the film to X.
“You guys made that movie big because that movie is the only movie that represents the 50 per cent of the population.”
Boll claims that Hollywood studios and streaming platforms had refused to distribute the film because of its themes surrounding migration and crime, while praising X as “a real place where people can talk” and watch the film without traditional gatekeepers.
Alternative for Germany (AfD) co-leader Alice Weidel also weighed in on the controversy, posting a mock version of the film’s poster labelled “The Streisand Effect” on X. The post was later reposted by Elon Musk.
The reference was to the “Streisand effect”, the phenomenon whereby attempts to suppress or censor information end up attracting far greater public attention.
Elon Musk’s intervention appears to illustrate the point. What might otherwise have remained a niche independent release is now an international talking point, with millions exposed to the film after it was effectively blocked from normal distribution in Germany.
The film will be available to watch until 10:00 am EST on June 27.
— Alice Weidel (@Alice_Weidel) June 24, 2026
