Review of Citizen Kane (1941) by Clem666 — 29 Dec 2021

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.