Why I don't like this movie.

Rating: 3/10 (24 May 2010)

This movie is critically acclaimed as the greatest movie of all time. In addition to critical opinions, it is ranked 33 in the top 250. I went into this film, fully expecting to be blown away by the acting, plot, storytelling, and music. I was none of these things. I have no complaints with the acting, and the story is told effectively through the use of flashback.
The music is for the most part not bad, although it does not set the mood as effectively as the works of John Williams or Bernard Herrmann (Alfred Hitchcock), nor is it integral to the movie like the works of Danny Elfman (Tim Burton) or Enrico Morricone (Sergio Leone). One song in the middle of the film is supposed to be a composition written for Welles' character, and it is atrocious. I won't criticize the operatic parts, as they are intentionally sub par. All in all, the music is unremarkable.
Where this movie really fails is the plot. It is the most boring movie I have ever seen. Many movies, such as "12 Angry Men," contain no action, yet rank among the greatest and most captivating movies ever made. This movie is not one of them. The plot drags at a snails pace, and not very interesting in the first place. A few things are well done, such as the slow reveal of Kane's first relationship, and the twist at the end with Rosebud is impressive, but hardly enough to save the movie.
Many people call Citizen Kane timeless. I disagree. While the media still exercises considerable power today, the very way we access information has changed in the digital age. However, the death of newspapers does not kill this movie, as by that logic, any period piece would bore audiences. What kills this movie is how boring the plot is. I found myself not caring about 20 minutes into the movie. By the end of the movie, I cared even less. This movie is terrible, and though I speak against the widely accepted critical opinion of it, I am not afraid to say it because I truly believe that this movie ranks with the worst of them. I would rather watch Manos the Hands of Fate, because at least with that movie I can laugh at how bad it is. With Citizen Kane I can only cry.