A sumptuous period thriller encompassing themes of power, love, betrayal and murder, “Child 44” is novelist Tom Rob Smith’s fictionalized version of the grisly case that was met with resounding critical and popular acclaim upon publication in 1998.Real-life serial killer Andrei Chikatilo, also known as “The Butcher of Rostov,” was convicted of murdering and mutilating 52 women and children in Soviet Russia in the early 1950s.
Winner of the Crime Writers Association’s CWA Ian Fleming Steel Dagger award and translated into 26 languages, “Child 44” became the first in a trilogy that now includes “The Secret Speech” and “Agent 6.”“The great thing about detective stories and police investigations is they soak up a lot of the society in which they take place,” Smith says. “If you want to understand a world, take a look at the way the police work in that country.”
“Child 44” continued to be translated to screen, produced by Ridley Scott and directed by Daniel Espinosa where the filmmakers saw an opportunity to blend visceral action sequences with psychologically nuanced character arcs against a rich historic tapestry.
A politically-charged serial killer thriller set in 1953 Soviet Russia, “Child 44” chronicles the crisis of conscience for secret police agent Leo Demidov (Tom Hardy), who loses status, power and home when he refuses to denounce his own wife, Raisa (Noomi Rapace), as a traitor. Exiled from Moscow to a grim provincial outpost, Leo and Raisa join forces with General Mikhail Nesterov (Gary Oldman) to track down a serial killer who preys on young boys. Their quest for justice threatens a system-wide cover-up enforced by Leo’s psychopathic rival Vasili (Joel Kinnaman), who insists “There is no crime in Paradise.”
To anchor an adventure of such grand historical scope, the filmmakers needed an actor capable of handling the script’s demanding emotional and physical range, from quiet dramatic moments to brutal action sequences. They also needed someone who could subtly express the protagonist’s inner conflicts as he struggles to find his humanity in an inhuman situation.
They found their Leo Demidov in British actor Tom Hardy. Regarded as one of the most charismatic talents of his generation, Hardy impressed moviegoers as a violent convict in Bronson, then broke through to a global audience with his portrayal of the evil Bane in The Dark Knight Rises. More recently he earned both critical and popular acclaim for his role as a Brooklyn bartender with a dark secret in The Drop.Hardy says he was attracted to the project by the moral complexity of his character—and the script as a whole.
If politics are ultimately personal, then “Child 44” can be seen as a cautionary tale from a nightmarish chapter of history: tyrannical political cultures stifle fundamentally decent people with tragic results
“Child 44” opens exclusively at Ayala Malls Cinemas nationwide starting April 29 from Pioneer Films.
FAQs
Is Child 44 worth reading? ›
3.5 stars. Child 44 is one of those books that only come along once in awhile and when it does it makes you exclaim out loud.
What were Andrei Chikatilo's last words? ›
On October 14, 1992, Chikatilo was found guilty of 52 murders; 21 males and 31 females. On February 14, 1994, he was executed with a single shot to the head, his last words apparently being "Don't blow my brains out! The Japanese want to buy them!"
What are some interesting facts about Andrei Chikatilo? ›
Chikatilo graduated from Rostov University and became a teacher for a brief time, but he was eventually caught molesting some students, which led to his expulsion from the profession. By the end of 1978 Chikatilo had murdered his first victim, Lena Zakotnova, in Shankty, Russia.
Is Child 44 based on true events? ›
The novel Child 44 by Tom Rob Smith was directly inspired by the real life serial killer Andrei Chikatilo. The first cut of the film was around five and a half hours long. Vincent Cassel replaced Philip Seymour Hoffman in the part of Major Kuzmin.
Who is the killer in Child 44? ›
Vladimir Malevich is the main antagonist of the 2015 thriller film Child 44, which is based on the novel of the same name by Tom Rob Smith. He is a pedophile and serial killer who preys on young boys in the Soviet Union in the 1950s. He is loosely based upon the late serial killer Andrei Chikatilo.
Does Raisa love Leo in Child 44? ›
Once the patrol left, Leo and Raisa hid in the truck of a local driver who agreed to take them to Rostov. On the way, Raisa revealed that she'd fallen in love with Leo, and that she could never bear children due to physical trauma suffered during the war.
Why is the book called Child 44? ›
On Smith's writing techniques: I began reading Child 44 with the impression that this book was a murder mystery. Even the title, referring to the first of the dead children that Leo comes across, suggests this.
What is the sequel to Child 44? ›
The Secret Speech is the second novel in a trilogy by British author Tom Rob Smith; it was released in April 2009. The book features a repeat appearance of Leo Stepanovich Demidov, the protagonist of Smith's first book, Child 44. The Secret Speech is a further exploration of the Soviet Union Joseph Stalin created.
WikipediaThe Killer Department: Detective Viktor Burakov's Eight-Year Hunt for the Most Savage Serial Killer in Russian History is a non-fiction book detailing the manhunt, capture and subsequent conviction of Russian serial killer Andrei Chikatilo.
Ted Bundy: "Give my love to my family and friends"
Per ABC News, before being executed in Florida's electric chair on Jan. 24, 1989, he confessed to 30 homicides across seven states between 1974 and 1978. His last words: "I'd like you to give my love to my family and friends."
Who was the mad one serial killer? ›
Anatoly Huseinovich Nagiyev (Russian: Анато́лий Гусе́йнович Наги́ев; January 26, 1958 – October 28, 1981), known as The Mad One (Russian: Бешеный), was a Soviet serial killer, mass murderer and rapist who killed at least 6 women with severe cruelty between 1979 and 1980.
What evidence was there of Andrei Chikatilo? ›
Numerous pieces of evidence linked Chikatilo to Zakotnova's murder: spots of blood had been found in the snow close to a fence facing the house Chikatilo had purchased; neighbours had noted that Chikatilo had been present in the house on the evening of 22 December; Zakotnova's school backpack had been found upon the ...
How many kills did Andrei Chikatilo have? ›
Convicted of 52 murders and sentenced to death, he was executed in a Moscow prison. Citizen X, a television movie based on Chikatilo's life, was aired in 1995.
Is Child 44 based on Andrei Chikatilo? ›
Both the novel and the film are very loosely based on the case of Soviet serial killer Andrei Chikatilo. The film was a box office bomb, grossing just $13 million against its $50 million budget.
What happened at the end of Child 44? ›
Vasili tries to execute them but, after a vicious struggle, they kill him. Leo cleverly shouts to the MGB agents who arrive that Vasili is a hero who fought Malevich and killed him before dying himself. Leo and Raisa are both reinstated in their old jobs and Kuzmin is removed for his failures.
What happened to Raisa in Child 44? ›
Arrest. On returning to Voualsk, Raisa was arrested and sent back to the Lubyanka in Moscow, where she was incarcerated and sexually harassed by Boris Zarubin, still bitter over her rejection of him.
What is the follow up to Child 44? ›
The Secret Speech (Child 44 Trilogy 2) eBook : Smith, Tom Rob: Amazon.co.uk: Kindle Store.
