Evilenko is another film based on the character of Chikatilo. Along with the story the main theme is the role of the Soviet system and communist propaganda for the emergence and invulnerability of this mass murderer.
Unfortunately, Evilenko fails to create a realistic picture of the criminal who took dozens of lives, nor to convey the spirit and meaning of the communist society that created him.
The ugly Soviet reality in the film is exaggerated - neither the people were so fanatical, nor the government so omnipotent. If the goal is to create an absurd reality, like 1984 and Brazil - here it is unnecessary, the purpose of the film in my opinion is different. Police station and interrogations in an abandoned tunnel? Come on, don't take us for idiots.
The killer, an analogue of Chikatilo in the film, also seems too unreal. Malcolm McDowell is a great actor, but unfortunately he also contributed to the image of Evilenko as a caricature of a villain. A criminal who hypnotizes his victims and makes witnesses forget him is a typical character in cheap novels, not suitable here. As a result, the film is perceived as a fairy tale and fails to create an image of reality.
Everything that this film can't do, fortunately, has been achieved by another one - Citizen X - a great picture of the epoch and the deadliest murderer in history.
