Citizenfour

Name: Citizenfour
Genre: Documentary
Released: October 24, 2014
Duration: 114 min
Rating: 88
Cast: Edward Snowden, Glenn Greenwald

2014

METASCORE

Universal acclaim based on 38 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 157 Ratings

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7.6

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7.6	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 157 Ratings

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Citizenfour

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Movie Details & Credits

RADiUS-TWC | Release Date: October 24, 2014 | Not Rated

Starring: Edward Snowden, Glenn Greenwald

Summary: In January 2013, filmmaker Laura Poitras was in the process of constructing a film about abuses of national security in post-9/11 America when she started receiving encrypted e-mails from someone identifying himself as “citizen four,” who was ready to blow the whistle on the massive covert surveillance programs run by the NSA and otherIn January 2013, filmmaker Laura Poitras was in the process of constructing a film about abuses of national security in post-9/11 America when she started receiving encrypted e-mails from someone identifying himself as “citizen four,” who was ready to blow the whistle on the massive covert surveillance programs run by the NSA and other intelligence agencies. In June 2013, she and reporter Glenn Greenwald flew to Hong Kong for the first of many meetings with the man who turned out to be Edward Snowden. She brought her camera with her. [RADiUS-TWC]… Expand

Director: Laura Poitras

Genre(s): Documentary

Rating: Not Rated

Runtime: 114 min

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Critic Reviews

100

Joe Williams

Nov 27, 2014

The message of the movie is as clear as Siberian ice: Whether you’re a Tea Partier, an Occupier or just an ordinary Joe, you might be the next citizen who’s stranded in limbo. Read full review

100

Matt Patches

Oct 20, 2014

CITIZENFOUR is an expertly crafted expose with unprecedented urgency. Read full review

100

The Playlist Drew Taylor

Oct 23, 2014

This is a movie primarily concerned with numbers and the way that information is fed, processed, and acted upon. But it plays like the greatest paranoid thriller since "All the President's Men." Read full review

Ann Hornaday

Oct 23, 2014

Citizenfour isn’t just a useful primer in the civil liberties and consent issues his disclosures raised. It humanizes a man who almost immediately became controversialized as a naive, self-important desk jockey or, worse, a handmaiden to terrorists everywhere. Read full review

Claudia Puig

Nov 13, 2014

The year's most riveting documentary. Read full review

Empire Simon Crook

Oct 27, 2014

Bold, unblinking filmmaking – no less than a living document of a global scandal straight from the whistleblower. Alarming and essential – anyone with a phone should see it. Read full review

Emma Morgan

Jan 9, 2015

Snowden proves surprisingly sympathetic. His intentions appear to have no subtext, but sadly neither does the doc; the irony of an infodump approach to mass surveillance goes disappointingly unexploited. Read full review

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User Reviews

miccael

Apr 15, 2019

Basically a must-watch movie for everyone who cares about privacy. this should be shown in schools, maybe cut into main important bits but definitely shown so that kids of today and adults of tomorrow value their privacy and freedom. (also I don't get why there are negative reviews forBasically a must-watch movie for everyone who cares about privacy. this should be shown in schools, maybe cut into main important bits but definitely shown so that kids of today and adults of tomorrow value their privacy and freedom. (also I don't get why there are negative reviews for such an important film)… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

P4inskiller

May 19, 2018

Simply the true story about the first and maybe biggest hero of the 21st century! A must see for everyone who is interesting for the topics of freedom and human rights. Snowden is a world hero and I am as German shamed that the german government didn't give him asylum - of course, becauseSimply the true story about the first and maybe biggest hero of the 21st century! A must see for everyone who is interesting for the topics of freedom and human rights. Snowden is a world hero and I am as German shamed that the german government didn't give him asylum - of course, because she is sill involved in hurting the rights of german (and foreign) people. In the year 2018 even more lies, surveillance and criminal activities by the german government -> wikipedia: "NSA Untersuchungsausschuss". Also shame on Angela Merkel as puppet of the Obama government! My highest respect for this young american guy, Edward Snowden! Truly a hero!… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

marricks

Nov 3, 2014

Having followed these issues closely since the initial leak I have been quite excited about this movie since hearing it.

This movie is a compelling overview of the events that led up to the leak right up to what is happening today. It mixes live footage of Glenn, Poitras, and Snowden'sHaving followed these issues closely since the initial leak I have been quite excited about this movie since hearing it.

This movie is a compelling overview of the events that led up to the leak right up to what is happening today. It mixes live footage of Glenn, Poitras, and Snowden's initial meeting with presentations, interviews, and new coverage of the events. It's engaging, terrifying, and even funny in a Kafkaesque manner. Go see it!… Expand

3 of 4 users found this helpful31

TVJerry

Nov 10, 2014

The majority of my real job is editing people talking and the maximum length of my videos is usually 2 minutes. This doc is almost 2 hours and I could have easily edited it down to a tight hour or an interesting 90 minutes. The most extraordinary thing about this film is the footage ofThe majority of my real job is editing people talking and the maximum length of my videos is usually 2 minutes. This doc is almost 2 hours and I could have easily edited it down to a tight hour or an interesting 90 minutes. The most extraordinary thing about this film is the footage of Edward Snowden in a Hong Kong hotel, as he prepares for the release of the famous NSA documents. Filmmaker Laura Poitras offers an absorbing glimpse into the man and his motives. Unfortunately, in an attempt to add miniscule moments of insight (which they usually didn't) and arty cinematic touches (which they usually weren't) almost every shot is held too long and the details are just dull. Even with the ominous drone in the soundtrack, the potential tension never materializes. Poitras' exclusive peek is fascinating, but she could have used a more judicious hand in the edit.… Expand

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

Tyranian

Dec 21, 2019

Vaguely interesting exposition of reporting techniques but the actual focus is not as revelatory as its made out to be.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Brent_Marchant

Nov 8, 2014

It's truly unfortunate that revelations as important as those being exposed here are told in such a clumsy, plodding manner. This ambling release is riddled with documentary footage desperately in need of editing, coupled with an incessant stream of unexplained technospeak, causing much ofIt's truly unfortunate that revelations as important as those being exposed here are told in such a clumsy, plodding manner. This ambling release is riddled with documentary footage desperately in need of editing, coupled with an incessant stream of unexplained technospeak, causing much of what's important about this story -- the unfolding events and their wide-ranging implications -- to become lost in the muddle of extraneous flotsam and unending jargon. Judicious snipping and better elaboration of the material would have made the message of this picture immeasurably more accessible to a wider lay audience -- the very people who need to get it. Instead, we're left with a picture that mostly preaches to a choir of technically savvy insiders, most of whom are likely already familiar with the story and how it came to pass.… Expand

0 of 3 users found this helpful03

sgtdarkbytes

Mar 7, 2015

To think this documentary won an Oscar?!?!? You'll be better off watching PBS Documentary Series "Nova" on Cyberwar, which features Edward Snowden but also gives you MORE information about the reach of this surveillance program, interviews with other people related to the system, as well asTo think this documentary won an Oscar?!?!? You'll be better off watching PBS Documentary Series "Nova" on Cyberwar, which features Edward Snowden but also gives you MORE information about the reach of this surveillance program, interviews with other people related to the system, as well as analysis and conclusions on the subject, on the other hand "Citizenfour" is all about Edward Snowden in his Hong Kong hotel room, so we get a lot of long shots of him doing his hair, sleeping, and kinda just "hanging out", with very little information and analysis about the actual capabilities of the data gathering program... 0 Stars!!… Expand

2 of 11 users found this helpful29

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