Is Child 44 Based on a True Story? Plot and Ending Explained
by Ushapriyanga
Updated May 03, 2023
Child 44 Info
Daniel Espinosa directed "Child 44," a mystery thriller film released in 2015. Richard Price wrote the screenplay based on Tom Rob Smith's novel of the same name from 2008. The movie boasts a star-studded ensemble cast that includes Tom Hardy, Gary Oldman, Noomi Rapace, Joel Kinnaman, Paddy Considine, Jason Clarke, and Vincent Cassel.
Although the film and novel draw loose inspiration from the case of Soviet serial killer Andrei Chikatilo, the movie's box office performance was underwhelming, earning just $13 million compared to its $50 million budget.
Production began in June 2013, with filming taking place in Prague, Ostrava, and Kladno in the Czech Republic, and later in Romania. One memorable scene was shot in the Moscow underground, using the Prague metro, which was closed to the public for the first time in its history.
Is Child 44 Based on a True Story?
Loosely inspired by the case of Soviet serial killer Andrei Chikatilo, both the novel and film adaptation of "Child 44" did not perform well commercially. The movie's budget was $50 million, but it only earned $13 million, making it a box office flop.
The Ministry of Culture in Russia has banned the film adaptation of Tom Rob Smith's novel, "Child 44," which follows the search for a Soviet-era serial child killer. The ministry accused the movie of distorting historical facts and claimed that it contained original interpretations of events before, during, and after the Second World War.
The film was set to release in Russia on April 17th but was canceled by the film's distribution company, Central Partnership, and the culture ministry. The ministry published a statement on its website citing concerns about the movie's depiction of Soviet citizens during the historical era.
The thriller stars British actor Tom Hardy in the lead role of a disgraced Soviet intelligence agent who investigates a series of brutal child murders. Although the film is set in the Stalin era, it is based on the true story of Andrei Chikatilo, also known as the Rostov Ripper, who was convicted of 52 murders in the Soviet Union in the 1970s and 1980s.
Child 44 Ending Explained
With the end of Andrei's reign of terror and Vasili's death, Leo has been reinstated to his previous position and tasked with creating a new homicide department in Moscow. Moreover, having Raisa back in his life likely brings him the utmost joy.
The biggest mystery of "Child 44" lies in the director's inability to maintain focus throughout the film. Daniel Espinosa's previous works, "Easy Money" and "Safe House," prove that he is capable of directing a film with a strong central narrative, but "Child 44" falls short in this regard.
Despite strong performances and occasional moral dilemmas, the overall cohesiveness that elevated Espinosa's earlier films is missing. While there are stories surrounding the film's release date, there has been no mention of extensive re-writes, re-shoots, or re-edits that would indicate a significant shift in the narrative. At least, no such information has been made public.
Child 44 Plot
The story takes place in the early 1950s in the Soviet Union during Stalin's rule, where Leo Demidov, a war hero and agent of the Ministry of State Security (MGB), uncovers a series of brutal child murders. However, the MGB leadership refuses to acknowledge the murders as serial killings since it goes against the Soviet doctrine that only capitalism breeds such crimes.
During the investigation, Leo's partner's son is also murdered by the same serial killer, and Leo's wife, Raisa, is accused of being disloyal to the state. Leo suspects Vasili Nikitin, his immoral and ambitious enemy in the MGB, is behind the accusations. However, when Leo refuses to support the allegations, he and Raisa are exiled to Volsk, where he is given a lowly militia position and Raisa works as a janitor.
In Volsk, Leo meets General Nesterov, his new commander, while Vasili tries to persuade Raisa to leave Leo and join him in Moscow. When Raisa refuses, Vasili orders a local MGB man to abuse her, and she later confesses to Leo that she married him out of fear of refusing a high-ranking MGB member.
As Leo investigates more child murders in Volsk, he convinces Nesterov and his wife to investigate the deaths as serial killings. They discover that the killer has claimed at least 44 victims and travels by rail to find them.
Leo and Raisa secretly travel to Moscow to interview a witness but do not obtain useful information. They then seek out Raisa's former colleague, who turns out to be an informer. Leo kills him during the meeting, and Raisa decides to stay with Leo despite being given the option to leave. Upon their return to Volsk, Vasili and his men pursue them for killing the informer, leading to their arrest and interrogation.
They are subsequently put on a train to a work camp but are attacked by killers ordered by Vasili. Leo and Raisa manage to kill their assailants and jump off the train, trekking to Rostov, where the majority of the serial killer's victims were found.
Leo uses his investigation skills to identify the killer, who surrenders to them. However, Vasili arrives and shoots the killer before attempting to kill Leo and Raisa. They manage to kill Vasili after a struggle and tell arriving MGB agents that the serial killer killed Vasili before being shot by Leo.
Since the killer was a prisoner of war in German camps, the MGB can falsely attribute his actions to those of a Nazi agent. Leo is reinstated in Moscow but declines a promising political position to instead create and lead a homicide division. He and Raisa adopt two orphaned girls.
Child 44 Summary
The movie "Child 44" takes place in 1950s Soviet Russia, where Leo Demidov, a secret police agent played by Tom Hardy, faces severe consequences for not accusing his wife Raisa, played by Noomi Rapace, of being a traitor. The couple is exiled to a dreary provincial town where they team up with General Mikhail Nesterov, played by Gary Oldman, to hunt down a serial killer who targets young boys. As they delve deeper into the investigation, they realize that their efforts threaten to expose a cover-up enforced by Vasili, played by Joel Kinnaman, who is Leo's ruthless and power-hungry rival.
Child 44 Review
The film boasts a talented cast, led by the magnetic Tom Hardy, supported by Noomi Rapace, Gary Oldman, and Joel Kinnaman, who all deliver solid performances. However, the Russian accents of some Hollywood actors prove to be a distraction, as they garble words and make key lines unintelligible.
The film's main problem lies in its editing, which results in a bloated, scatterbrained narrative that struggles to handle its ensemble character scope. Some scenes suffer from choppy editing, while others turn into lengthy rants about the terrors of Communism or become narrative diversions.
In contrast, other scenes rely on impeccable timing to bring characters together or reveal the murderer, making the story feel overly manipulated. Despite the strong performances, "Child 44" ultimately falls short due to its editing issues.
Is Child 44 Based on a True Story - FAQs
The movie stars Tom Hardy, Noomi Rapace, Gary Oldman, and Joel Kinnaman.
The movie is set in 1950s Soviet Russia and follows secret police agent Leo Demidov as he investigates a series of child murders, which threatens a system-wide cover-up enforced by his psychopathic rival.
The main issue with the movie is its bloated and scatterbrained narrative, with many narrative strands that could have been tangled in any one of the stages of the movie's production.
The performances of the actors are reliable, with Tom Hardy's charisma being a standout. Noomi Rapace, Gary Oldman, and Joel Kinnaman also provide particular dramatic security.
The overall impression of the movie is that it has potential due to its reliable performances but falls short due to its bloated narrative, choppy editing, and scattered focus.