Gripping.

Rating: 7/10 (24 September 2019)

A very chilling indictment of how corrupt the post-war Soviet Union government (now Russia) was, Child 44 is about a serial killer of young boys that no-one seems to want to catch. After all, it might have negative implications for the fake 'paradise' they've created.
The authorities blame everything to make the problems go away... first they put the murder down to train accidents, then they pin the blame on some poor mentally disabled guy who can't argue back.
As the grisly murders continue apace though and whispers of dissent start getting louder, one courageous officer is willing to ignore the party line to try cracking the case himself... even at the cost of his career and possibly, his own life. Are you excited yet?!
Tom Hardy tries his hand at a Russian accent and at creating a sympathetic hero, succeeding on both counts. The actress playing his wife also does a fine job, strong, determined and with secrets of her own. Finally, if Joel Kinnaman's main brief was for us to despise him as the villain, then mission successful I'd say.
It shines a light on a particularly brutal period in history, where the Russian state demanded absolute loyalty in all circumstances (and due to a combination of violence & murder, usually got it). The sad truth is though, it's unclear just how much has changed...
Anyway, what can't be denied is this movie is a good watch, and the ending is symbolically a perfect way to conclude a thoroughly engaging experience. 7/10