I wrote my column this week about Elon Musk’s white supremacist ideology. As part of that piece, I referred to a recent film, “Citizen Vigilante,” directed by Uwe Boll, that is about a mysterious, well, vigilante, who stalks an unnamed European country, killing “criminals” presented as mostly Arab and African immigrants. The movie ends in a grotesque massacre of a family of Muslims whose son had been prosecuted for sexual assault. “Citizen Vigilante” is something of a sensation on the far right because of its truly vicious anti-immigrant politics. Both for research and to satisfy my own curiosity, I sat down to watch it. Before we go any further I should say that, despite my own politics, I actually have a soft spot for vigilante and revenge thrillers like “Citizen Vigilante.” These are movies in which singular individuals, almost always men, take it upon themselves to bring order to their communities through the lawless, and usually gratuitous, use of violence. As you might guess, the vast majority of films in this genre have unambiguously right-wing politics. Thematically, they’re often structured around the idea of preserving, strengthening or reaffirming a vision of white, patriarchal masculinity centered on the ability to do violence. They are preoccupied with the idea of social disorder, and tend to tie that disorder to liberal permissiveness and cosmopolitan society. The violence is lurid, and these movies aim to titillate audiences — to let them experience vicariously the thrill of punishing people who seem to break society’s rules. It might sound like I’m criticizing the genre but, again, I like these movies. I’ve seen and enjoyed early classics like “Death Wish” and more modern spins on the concept like “Taken.” If a film has a title like “Out for Justice” or “Extreme Justice,” then I have probably seen it. I can appreciate that these movies represent the id of American life. And the best of them, like the first “John Wick” film, are simply fun to watch. I was curious to see where “Citizen Vigilante” would land. My verdict? If you can set its awful politics aside and try to engage with it as a film, you’ll be more disappointed than you can imagine. “Citizen Vigilante” is a terrible movie, top to bottom. The first and most important problem is that the protagonist, played by Armie Hammer, has no motivation other than a very ugly and naked bigotry. This may seem like an odd complaint given the genre, but most revenge or vigilante thrillers have real emotional stakes. In “Death Wish,” for example, the character played by Charles Bronson loses his wife in a home invasion that also puts his daughter in the hospital. The Liam Neeson character in “Taken” is trying to save his daughter, and Denzel Washington’s protagonist in “The Equalizer” is basically always trying to save or avenge a friend or confidante of some kind. You’ll find none of this in “Citizen Vigilante.” Instead, the protagonist seems to be a genuine psychopath who rants and raves about his grievances via video manifestoes he posts online and sends to the press. He sounds less like someone trying to save a child or spouse than he does a mass shooter. Accordingly, the character eventually starts killing innocent people on the basis of perceived guilt by association. It doesn’t help that the film looks and feels amateurish. The action is poorly choreographed and haphazardly put together. The story is plodding and every character in the movie feels like a caricature. And as much as the movie relies on racist tropes, it strangely does not show much in the way of crime and violence from the racial others it despises. It’s as if the movie does not have the courage of its own convictions. “Citizen Vigilante” is an embarrassment. It is also a testament to the desperate cultural straits of the far right, which is so starved for media validation that its adherents have attached themselves to a movie that properly belongs in the bargain bin of a big box store rather than a theater. What I WroteMy column this week, as I mentioned, was on Elon Musk’s extreme racist ideology, which bears a strong resemblance to the underlying ideas in “The Turner Diaries,” an infamous work of white supremacist agitprop. Musk’s virulent racism and vicious, disturbing views are no secret. He does not hide them. They sit in plain view, easily accessible on the social media website he owns, where he does everything he can to promote similarly far-right and white supremacist ideas. If there is a question to ask, then, it is this: Why does Musk get a pass? Why do politicians, journalists and commentators treat his far-right racist radicalism as a sideshow rather than the core of his political, ideological and industrial project? I joined Robert Siegel and E.J. Dionne Jr. to talk the week in American politics on “The Opinions.” I also talked politics and fashion with Percia Verlin. Now ReadingBryce Covert on the former West Virginia senator Joe Manchin’s new memoir for The New York Review of Books. Adam Serwer on the “manosphere” for The Atlantic. Doreen St. Félix on Whoopi Goldberg for The New Yorker. Olúfẹ́mi O. Táíwò on Brazilian democracy for Boston Review. Samah Salaime on the fight to save Gaza’s cultural heritage for +972 Magazine. Photo of the Week
I took this picture during a long walk in Central Park a few months ago. Now Eating: Sheet-Pan Fish Tikka With SpinachA lot of my cooking at home is heavily shaped and inspired by South Asian cuisine, so I already had all the spices I needed for this dish on hand. This made it exceptionally easy and affordable. But this recipe, which comes from NYT Cooking, may not be worth it if your pantry isn’t similarly equipped. Ingredients
Directions Heat the oven to 425 degrees. Pat the fish dry and set aside. Combine the oil, yogurt, garam masala, chile powder, ginger, garlic, coriander, turmeric and 1 teaspoon salt in a large bowl and stir until the marinade is smooth. Add the fish and coat evenly. Arrange the spinach in an even layer on a large sheet pan. Place the fish on the spinach, dispersing it evenly. Bake on the top rack for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the fish starts to turn golden. Set the oven to broil and broil on high just until the fish turns golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Season to taste with additional salt. Serve with rice or roti, if desired. Thanks for reading. You will soon start to get my columns emailed to you too. Read past editions of the newsletter here. If you’re enjoying what you’re reading, please consider recommending it to others. They can sign up here. Have feedback? Send me a note at jamelle-newsletter@nytimes.com. You can also follow me on Twitter (@jbouie), Instagram and TikTok.
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