Citizen Vigilante tops US Amazon chart – why is it controversial?

Citizen Vigilante, a new film starring Armie Hammer, has topped the U.S. Amazon chart for movie purchases.

The film, directed by Uwe Boll, is a German-produced action thriller that depicts Hammer as an American businessman in Europe who becomes “a feared vigilante who targets violent criminals, rapists and corrupt judges,” according to the synopsis.

The film has proved controversial on account of its extreme violence and apparent anti-immigration stance. One scene which has been widely shared online shows Hammer’s character shooting multiple members of a migrant family dead in retribution for an alleged rape. It has been effectively banned in Germany, where it was refused a rating.

It also marks a return to a mainstream project for 39-year-old Hammer, following a series of sexual abuse and misconduct accusations against him in 2021. Hammer has denied any wrongdoing, and no charges were ever filed.

This is a developing story. More to follow.

Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Ben Kelly