A technical feat but not a good movie

Rating: 7/10 (10 December 2017)

Citizen Kane is acclaimed as one of the best movies of all time. Technically, that's probably accurate, but aside from the cinematography and direction, it's not very good. The characters are unlikable, the performances are histrionic, and because the movie is so old it's difficult to watch, especially towards the end. I'd say the first 20 minutes or so are fantastic, but the rest of the film just isn't compelling.
While the script and the acting aren't great (in my opinion), the direction and cinematography are outstanding. I haven't seen a film with blocking as good as this one, and the use of deep focus (especially in that scene when Charles is given away to the bank) is legendary. The lighting is also fantastic throughout, and many of the shots from this film are very memorable as well.
In short, Citizen Kane is easy to appreciate for it's technical triumphs, but not easy to enjoy. 5.5 out of 10.