User Reviews

Фильм с множеством новаторских(авторских) моментов, но с простой историей, скучными персонажами и смешным гримом. Странно, что его так обделили Оскарами. Сейчас же можно посмотреть чисто из-за исторической значимости и дальнейшего влияния на кинематограф.

In this day and age, I think "Citizen Kane" is revered because of its reputation, not because it's a great cinematic experience. Folks feel compelled to like "Citizen Kane" because they feel they are supposed to. But quietly, most of today's viewers don't think very much of it and usually ask, "What is the big deal?" I gave "Citizen Kane" another try a couple of weeks ago. It is my 4th viewing over the last 50 years. I still don't think it is worth the fuss.

Someone asked me why I wanted to watch Citizen Kane. I started by saying I had read about the film in movie books when I was a teenager. That explanation was enough for the person. I’ll add, Citizen Kane was described as a film to see. It was “great”, even the greatest ever made and remarkably Orson Welles was only twenty-five when he got it made. Orson Welles was the producer, director, co-writer, and main actor, portraying the fictitious Charles Foster Kane, a newspaper magnate in the early 1900s, who some said was obviously based on newspaper mogul William Randolph Hearst. Orson Welles delivers a fine performance as this empty shell of a man. When Kane stood for governor, a governor with a liberal flavor, his reaction to losing was one of Orson Welles’s many moments of movie acting presence. Supporting him one accentuates ‘support’ as though they all deliver great performances they are in the shadow of the monstrous Welles. The screenplay is so well defined that one imagines blood bled from the forehead, and the work that is realistically realized. The arrangement of scenes – from dream state, identifying with a character, ‘awaking’ from the dream, and back and forth in time – are seamlessly and expertly done. The technical aspects – noticeably the editing, lighting, cinematography, music, sound, and production design, see, for instance, the mansion of Xanadu for breath and width – are expert. Citizen Kane is the perfect dramatic film. Orson Welles helmed a film beyond its time, still standing on its merits and resonates. Citizen Kane is one of the greats, if not the greatest.

It’s tough to fairly critique a movie so widely lauded as one of the greats. How does one watch The Godfather with an open mind after fifty years of critical pressure? That goes double for Citizen Kane, given its additional age and notoriety. Older movies can be hard to contextualize, even for those already well-versed in the era’s cinematic language. In 1941, Hollywood had only been making talkies for a few years. For Kane, though, I actually see this elder status as a benefit: it does more than just hold up, it holds its own. Eight decades later, Orson Welles’s ambitious debut remains engaging and easy to watch, even by modern standards. There’s just something about a well-crafted story, told with care and conviction, that never goes out of style. Its plot is colorful and alluring, stuffed with dynamic, rounded characters. Its artistry is sharp and daring, richly designed and strikingly photographed. Each frame is deeply considered and imbued with meaning. There’s similar fire and passion in nearly every element. The big cast of stage veterans, eager to prove their worth on the screen. The iconography, expertly crafted and larger than life. The lingering mystery of “Rosebud,” befuddling and powerful as a story mover and rewarding as a final revelation. Welles has lined everything up just-so, an intricate web of large acts and small tells that come together to weave an irresistible saga. Citizen Kane’s framing device works extraordinarily well, dispensing a street-smart journalist to puzzle over a magnate’s last words while sifting through the spoken record to paint an outline of his life. He segues from one interview to another, capturing snippets of the man’s character from all angles, before finally arriving at the conclusion that no single word, no matter how enigmatic, could possibly explain a life so thoroughly lived. He’s completely wrong on that count. “Rosebud” speaks volumes about this man: his desperation to be admired and loved; his refusal to really open himself up in pursuit of those goals; his tireless efforts to meet an impossible expectation; his sharp dismissal of anyone who dares challenge his ideals. Unfortunately for our weary newsman, no living soul remains to express these nuances, nor to connect them to the word in question. Without that context, its origins mean nothing. Charles Foster Kane left plenty of observers in his wake - spurned comrades, embittered lovers, jaded employees, jealous observers - but the man they describe is only a projection. The image he wished the world to see, not the one which dwelt beneath the steely shell. That’s a relatively simple story, really. The man who seemingly has everything, overcompensating to satisfy an urge that most of us would take for granted. Welles adds cinematic flourishes, draws magnificent performances from his cast (including himself) and spices it with a tantalizing secret, but this wouldn’t be recognized as such a landmark achievement if that main arc weren’t so well-realized, recognizable and effective. Put it all together? Yeah, that’s deserving of all-timer status. A masterpiece of film.

[SPOILER ALERT: This review contains spoilers.]

Es una película que innova en muchas cosas, por ejemplo, con respecto a los planos, algo más variados que generalmente no se utilizaban mucho en esa época, así como también a nivel de la cronología, al contar una historia haciéndolo desde el presente hacia el pasado. Es innovador sin duda, pero yo creo que la historia no se siente cercana, y con esto me refiero a que, si bien la temática es interesante con respecto a la evolución del personaje principal, desde un niño hasta convertirse en la persona con más poder en el país hasta sus incontables fracasos que lo llevaron a, de cierta forma, aislarse del mundo exterior, y el final interesante que se refiere a esa búsqueda de muchos de nosotros por ser niños otra vez, que recordamos épocas anteriores en las que no pudimos vivir, se vuelve una búsqueda incesante de buscarla incluso hasta volverse tóxico. El problema es que esta parte pudo ser mucho mejor, dar más énfasis a esa etapa infantil para empatizar cuando ya se hiciera adulto, pero solo se muestran un par de escenas, lo que provoca que no exista una conexión tan grande con este personaje, pero por supuesto que es una buena película.

An ok film with an ending that's highlighted early on. I guess at the time, flagging that the American Dream won't buy happiness, was controversial. I've watched it twice now, and it was definitely better the second time around. It's still over-rated though! Some of the acting is ok, but much is poor and very dated. The message is still decent enough.

Extremely outdated - extremely overrated. I watched this film from beginning to end, including the extras, as I always do. So get right to the point, without any introductions. Does this film deserve a place in the list of "250 audience ratings"/"Must See"? No. Does this film deserve a place in the pantheon of masterworks that have had a significant impact on cinema? Yes. I think it's stupid to give a film a high rating based only on how many innovative and significant ideas were used in it. The average viewer is primarily interested in the story and the quality of its implementation, rather than the "play of light" and "shooting angle." In my opinion, the objective weight of many "enthusiastic" reviews (10/10) is as low as the unfounded 1/1 (0/0) that are given to other films or games. It's time for aggregators and viewers to keep up with the times and change. All "Tops" need to be updated, not patronized, calling it a "weighted system." Perhaps the best solution would be to divide the tops by time-relevance or into purely viewer and professional ones. This isn't the first time IMDB/Metacritic/Rotten Tomatoes have disappointed me, but it's also not the first or last time they'll impress me. This case is rather an exception to the rule, i think. My actual rating is closer to 3.0, but alas, none of the aggregators support MORE accurate rating. A 2.0 for overrating. Although we understand perfectly well that this "2.0" will not be allowed. So, feel free to voice your opinion as you see fit. As Mr. Kane actually did in the film when writing the review...

Interesting film in his generation, maybe not as great today but still recommend to watch, might be tough for beginners

This garbage is unwatchable. Maybe it was a staple last century but the acting is f***ing rubbish and the plot is so boring I nearly fell asleep while watching it. The poor cinematography make it so difficult to understand what the hell is going on and the audio hasn't been remastered (at least in the version i watched) so i can't understand a damn word anyone is saying. I only watched this because i was told by a bunch of "Intelletual movie critics" that it was amazing but it was borderline unwatchable. 0/10

Citizen Kane was undeniably a ground-breaking movie in many respects but watched through modern eyes it's a pretty dull experience.

Its a good movie for its time but for today's standards its kind of slow and boring and overall doesn't have a lot of rewatchability.

The film is visually stunning, with groundbreaking cinematography and innovative storytelling techniques that were ahead of its time. The use of deep focus photography and non-linear narrative structure helped to create a sense of depth and complexity to Kane's character, making him both enigmatic and relatable to audiences.

boring. way too much talking. not enough penguins dancing. I recommend happy feet to any viewers looking for a more entertaining and emotional cinematic experience.

I am really impressed. I kind of thought this was gonna be as slow and borrowing movie from the 40s, but it is in reality one of the most interesting fast-paced modern films I have seen, it didn't feel old at all. The only old thing about it was the sound **** lighting was really good. I always remember when I'm watching a black and white movie how importen lighting is and this one really did it good Shadows and when you look at people's face they were dark out so look ambiguous and angry and **** the characters dialogue was so fun to listen to it's so hard not to have a good time watching it. It's so fun and the characters so delightful even if it is a sad story being told.Seeing Citizen Kane from so many ankles and so many different people's perspective it was such a good way of telling this story and it had so much character to it.I expected this movie to be very subtle and hard to read you know like I expected a critic to think but it was that subtle, it was blatant. What was going on emotionally and behind the scenes which makes it very fun to watch because it wasn't ambiguous. What was going on.I understand the hype behind this movie and why it's so highly regarded by critics and I would recommend watching it.

We were required to watch this movie for english class, potentially the worst movie I've ever seen. There is zero entertainment value, the twist is mediocre at best, and the whole movie is just a general waste of time. Does not deserve any of the praise it gets.

Absolutely horrendous. Fast talking, poor sound design, boring cinematography, etc. In the distant past, it might have been considered to be a masterpiece compared to previous movies, but... we don't live in that time anymore. From an objective perspective, Citizen Kane is just terrible.

Citizen Kane, the greatest movie ever made. Why is that though. Most people hate citizen Kane as it is often given this title and seems boring to most people. The reason this movie is considered the best was because of its ideas influence and writing. That’s the thing with people now day. They don’t appreciate these great classics.

This is one of the most overrated films in history. How could this boring, sleep-inducing film be featured in so many best film lists??

Que dire de plus de ce chef d’œuvre que l'on peut voir et revoir sans se lasser.

I can see why this is regarded as a classic. It's sadly still quite relevant today, the main themes being greed, power and manipulation (in this case of a newspaper readership), plus fame or notoriety, I suppose. The person it made me think of, from more contemporary times, is Rupert Murdoch. I imagine I'm not the only one to think that. It's a somewhat thought provoking watch, I just wish it wasn't as relevant as it still is, frankly. I'd like to point out that most of the film doesn't entirely focus on the crime aspect, i.e. in depth analysis of who may have done what, its more biographical in nature but its certainly a good watch. Here are a couple of memorable quotes - 'He's got old age. It's the only disease people don't look forward to being cured of.' 'You never should have married a newspapaer men - their worse than sailors!' (the mind boggles) Yes, I'd recommend it.

It's kind of mid, I don't know, maybe if they cut it down an hour it'd be a masterpiece.

I've finally done it,watched one of the most beloved films in known history. Orson Wells brainchild is a distinctive then overlooked catalyst in the evolution of film making. Citizen Kane is deserving of it's status as how it set standards in its cinematography, storytelling and performances that haven't even been met in our time is telling. The story feels biographical as it does a mystery or drama . The script is quick witted,empathetic and sharp in every sense as it slowly shows just how inconsequential money can be when it's abundance is equal to the lack therefore of meaningful relationships. Charlie Kanes tragic life begins when he's removed from his childhood home following his father's death to be trained to take on the Kane fortune, that removal from the only parents he knew too being surrounded by people who either work for him or are in awe of his heritage creates a very materialistic understanding of love that goes on to destroy almost all the relationships he values. There's a melancholy to the final scene where all of the things he owns and his big house are just sprawled and being appraised ,like scavenging vultures,because for a while those were all he had. At least until he died.

Citizen Kane is a decent movie, the story is very interesting and the movie stands out. The movie has a very good ending, although it isn’t my favorite movie, I can see why everyone likes it so much and most shots are relaxing and satisfying and there isn’t much I can say that’s wrong about this movie besides that the movie is very confusing and hard to understand for most people and the movie is slow.

An absolute masterpiece of a movie that has stood the test of time as one of the greatest movies ever made to this day.

Boring. The movie is about a person that can only receive love, but cannot give it back. Also, Cameron Monaghan looks just like Orson Welles.

I just watched this film interestingly today, in light of the fact that clearly it should be incredible or something to that effect. I'm recently persuaded that the main individuals who really like this rubbish, are old to the point that they are starting to go decrepit and are having not kidding mental issues. Above all else, the coordinating. It's only completely terrible. Simply a ton of talking and whimpering. Where could all the activity have been? Where could the climactic fight have been? Presently I've heard that this film should be about youth. For what reason doesn't Kane just battle his adolescence? brief scene toward the end where kane in a real sense thoroughly demolishes a more youthful kane utilizing the sled. It would be graceful, and such an improvement of the awful consummation we get in the real film. Next we have the altering. So awful. Simply decide on which story you will tell. Quit changing between various ones continually you schizo. Did your manager blow up and simply begin assaulting the film and sticking it together like a baby does with their "specialty"? Cause it sure seems as though it. After that we have the alleged "advancement". This film Is so nonexclusive I can scarcely even beginning with this point. I've seen this load of stuff previously.More so than the overseer of kane was. Orson welles is such a misrepresentation with such stupid endeavors at "advancements". Assuming they are so inventive orson, why have I seen them all previously. Hah. Checkmate. At long last, we have the primary storyline itself. Kane is so stressed over his adolescence continually. For what reason doesn't he basically grow up as of now! There, film is settled. What a crazy plothole. Taking everything into account. Citizen kane is an exaggerated catastrophe of a film, and orson welles is a horrendous chief. He once obviously said that you could get the hang of filmmaking in a day and a half. Well it sure resembles that is comparably lengthy as he spent on any of them!

[SPOILER ALERT: This review contains spoilers.]

Just a word, this is a life movie . I like it so much! It is one of bests in history

I will write this review thanks to what I noticed for myself, as a casual movie watcher, inclined to grasp the few details that my knowledge allows me to grasp : Welles did an amazing job with the use of a certain type of cameras that I simply can't name as it permits us to catch the many informations given through the image. There are numerous impressive movements and details caught by the camera that lead us to draw particualr conclusions about both the characters and the scenes they are producing. The work of lights and shadows is highly interesting : this gave birth to gorgeous sequences and unavoidable effects on protagonists. Overall (and with a few exceptions), the actors' performances are terrific, especially Welles'. Backgrounds and environments are skillfully set up. It is like if I could see the colours of it behind their white-black-grey textures. Characters' last words are really meaningful and give the story more beauty. The story is interesting but I often had the impression that I didn't know where the film was going. We see the investigation going on and on and have no clue for what seems hours and hours. This contributes to give to 'Citizen Kane' the 'boring' side many people find in it. However I must admit that the narrative (helped by cross-fades and flashbacks used with mastery) is really surprising. Its length and the precipitation of the ending were two other features I would identify as 'flaws'. If the last manages to close the movie on a poetic side, I couldn't help but think 'all for this only ? Really ?' One last defect is that I found the film repeats itself a bit too much. Characters aswer many things we already know, and even the camera shows informations we already possessed. Eventually it is an interesting American 'success' story : don't hope to see and hear anything else than the so-called never-equaled beauty of the dreamland of the United States of America. I definitely should rewatch it but on first sight it deserves its title of best movie ever as long as we only consider the massive contributions 'Citizen Kane' had on modern cinema.

Citizen Kane. What will you leave behind. An ambiguous movie. On the one hand, it's rather boring, but on the other hand, it makes you think about how we live and why. No matter how hard Kane tries, life cannot be built the way you want it.

A good movie with a satisfying ending. I found myself immersed in the film at some points wondering what will happen next. While some parts immersed me there was also a lot of parts that felt uninteresting and the movie couldve gone without them. A shorter film might have put this at an 8 for me. I went into this expecting not to like it but the unusual story with an interesting main character changed my mind. If you're unsure of watching this I say give it a chance.

[SPOILER ALERT: This review contains spoilers.]

movie doesn't have a good story to tell, the movie is extremely confusing and has a big, meaningless chat with the movie's story, the actors are mediocre and forced, the movie is boring repeated.

Muazzam bir eser, sinemaya azıcık ilgi duyan herkes bu filmi kesinlikle izlemeli.

A truly awful film to watch, with little direction or meaning given to the plot itself. You'll find yourself looking for the film technique and realize you've been duped into viewing a person coming to terms with film as art. Typical acting, and an ending that makes you livid that you even tuned in. While I admire the modernism of the technique Welles used, this is by no means the way I remember Welles. It seems far more important and significant to remember Welles as a modern artist who believed firmly that racism was a disease that required eradication.

great film for real cinematography lovers.. every scene is constructed and filmed just perfect, must seen for every film-academy student

Gonna be completely honest, as a film lover I was pretty disappointed with this film. I had heard so much about it like that it was the greatest film of all time and stuff like that and I was going in expecting the greatest film of all time. Unfortunately I was let down, I can see why people love it so much but for me it didn't hit the mark as well as I hoped, still a good movie just don't hype it to much for yourself

I can’t believe this movie has anywhere near the score it does on all of these critic platforms. This movie was the biggest steaming pile of s*** I’ve ever watched in my entire life. Horrible acting and story flow make it nearly unwatchable. I get that it was released in 1941. I get that. It was one of the first of its kind, ok, I understand. But that alone shouldn’t rescue it from all of its faults. I’m sure there are plenty of artistes who went to film school and have been told of this movie’s greatness and all the reasons why it is a masterpiece. Then they regurgitate that line to the next generation, and this lie keeps perpetuating through the ages. But this film should be judged for what it is. It seems impossible to me that this rating should be anywhere near 100%. People are either lying to themselves or trying to be part of the artiste bandwagon. I’m sure that in the film world, if you don’t like Cotizen Kane, then you’re some sort of country bumpkin, philistine ding dong who just can’t understand the underlying qualities that make this picture so divinely exquisite. But anyone who comes back down to earth for 2 hours will see this movie for what it is: a bold accomplishment in early filmmaking that, when viewed in its historical context, can be appreciated for the boundaries it pushed and trails it blazed for films that came after, but that it is simultaneously a steaming pile of s*** of a film that borders on unwatchably bad.

Most overrated movie ever. The most boring and **** movie i have ever watched my goodness!

Outstanding film, no question. 'Citizen Kane', at least to me, feels like such a unique film in terms of how it is brought to life - I don't recall seeing anything that exactly matches it in that regard. It's thoroughly entertaining, I do love how it is crafted together. The score is terrific and the performances from the cast are excellent. Orson Welles, the director too of course, is perfect for the titular role. He is sensational, it must be said. He makes Charles Foster Kane absolutely fascinating, despite the questionable nature of the character. I basically enjoyed everyone else who came onscreen, the more memorable ones being Joseph Cotten (Jedediah) and Dorothy Comingore (Susan) - George Coulouris (Thatcher) has a few amusing moments, also. The editing and pacing are two other things that impressed me, as did the fantastic News on the March opening. This is one of those films that I've heard about for as long as I can remember, so I'm glad to finally get it watched - added to the fact it didn't disappoint.

[SPOILER ALERT: This review contains spoilers.]

I get that this film isn't for everybody, I guess I'm part of that group. I just blame myself for not being able to apreciate this masterpiece.

Revolutionary! The directing of this movie influenced all the other great masterpiece that followed. Ahead of this time.

Quite simply one of the best movies ever made. A fable as relevant now as it was almost 80 years ago. Its all about the simple things in life. For all who have seen it, it leaves an indelible impression maybe its not for everyone but its for those who have a genuine love of cinema. Leaving you almost sad that the medium achieved almost perfection jn its infancy.

good movies..............................................................................

Living up to it’s name, Citizen Kane’s incredible story and different style changes the cinema itself and earns to be one of the best of all time.

Too broad **** only reason for it's greatness as well as **** did show almost every aspect of human life but at the cost of short cuts and incomplete introduction and conclusion of many major characters of movie except **** also showed some excellent camera techniques. A masterpiece in its own sense and in its own way but not a 9 rating movie...8.8

For the time, this movie may have been gold. That is a fact that no one can dispute. However, it absolutely does not hold up today. Citizen Kane is a dull, boring and unsatisfying film that while yes, for the time its technical achievements were a marvel to see, did not live up to the hype for me. To me, this is not one of the top 100 films of all time anymore.

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