Musk took a ‘crusade’ to Europe in Armie Hammer’s film

Citizen Vigilante was cheered on X by many right-wing activists, even as they criticized the film not only for its politics, but also for its thin plot, cheap special effects, and abundance of gore.

After growing publicity, Ball estimated that the film earned about $600,000 from streaming, against a $2 million budget. Critics were outraged. The contrast is “incredibly bad,” with prominent American conservative commentator Rod Dreher calling it “fascist propaganda,” though he and others on the right defend its depiction of a Europe in turmoil.

The film portrays the bleak vision of European society being pushed by Musk and others on the far right – that citizens are betrayed by corrupt actors, that immigrants are a source of violence and chaos, and that extreme measures are needed to restore order.

“Those who complain that the first half of the movie is spent killing immigrants, not white people, fail to understand…always hang the traitor before the enemy shoots,” a message posted by Musk read.

In an interview with The Economist last week, Musk, who was accused of irresponsibility in promoting a film glorifying the killing of a Muslim family, said: “It’s a movie and it’s worth watching.”

“I don’t think Europe has a hellhole,” he insisted, but “there was rampant rape and murder.”

He also previously believed that civil war in the UK was “inevitable”, and referring to Muslims, “when you have a large and rapidly growing group of people whose beliefs are at odds with Western beliefs, at some point there will be a reckoning.”

The tech titan also said he had not visited the UK for several years.

Musk’s defenders have often praised his support for unfettered online speech, and he has gone so far as to exaggerate some of his most extreme positions online.

Others say that its influence on politics in the UK and Europe is limited.

“I don’t think it has much political power in Britain or on the continent,” said Gawain Towler, former communications director of Reform UK, which still supports the party.

Towler praised Musk for highlighting gang rapes in British cities and said he was relaxed about the tycoon’s support for Lowe’s and the restaurateur.

“I prefer what he says about the businesses in general,” he says.