A film that was truly ahead of its time; there's more in the craft than in the narrative.

Rating: 8/10 (9 May 2018)

Now, here's a film that truly was ahead of its time. Orson Welles' passion project, on which he had the coveted 'final cut', could easily pass as much more modern fare thanks to some frenetic, unique camera-work and effective scene transitions. The plot of 'Citizen Kane (1941)' is compelling, told using longer takes that really give the excellent actors room to flex their proverbial muscles, and the flash-back based narrative does a good job of keeping you invested in the life of a man you know already to be dead. Yet, the mystery at the centre of it all, the iconic 'rosebud', comes to a close with a lack of proper resolution. It does shed some light on the motives of the central character and isn't meant to be the main focus of the feature, though. There's more in the craft of the piece than in the narrative, especially on re-watch, but the story and characters are compelling enough that the experience is an enjoyable one, all the same. 8/10