★★★✰✰
Citadel recently finished its weekly rollout on Amazon, whereupon the anticipation built in its first episode came to a head. The finale was an epic conclusion that saw the layers of questions unravel into answers (and of course, some more questions).
Citadel follows Mason Kane (Richard Madden) and Nadia Sinh (Priyanka Chopra Jonas) as members of a spy organisation. They lose their memories as Citadel is brought down on the same fateful night. Eight years have gone by, their new lives have been established, but they slowly get drawn back into the Citadel drama. The narrative switches between the past and present, featuring other Citadel-aligned agents like Bernard (Stanley Tucci), Carter (Osy Ikhile), and even those opposed to the organisation.
With a self-aware nod to Bourne Identity (after all, there’s only one thing that comes to mind when spies and memory loss come up) and glam locations, Citadel is your next James Bond fix. But, Citadel has appeal elsewhere as well—for fans of The Incredibles. Citadel‘s musical elements and nod towards a greater threat felt reminiscent of the animated success, and the trope-filled plot means it’ll be hard not to become nostalgic for the spy genre.
Stylised Filming and Location
On a budget of 300 million USD, Citadel doesn’t skimp on the filming locations or intense action sequences. With trips to Valencia, Paris, Morocco, and for one epic opening sequence, the Italian Alps (although likely CGI-aided), Citadel keeps pace with the likes of James Bond and Bourne Identity. Known for their huge budgets and atmospheric,often glamorous, filming locations, Citadel keeps on par. The flashes of European cities, introduced through establishing shots with written identification, keeps Citadel within the familiar conventions of the spy genre on screen. Though that consistency stops there. Citadel feels fresh. Rather than the spy organisation linked to a country like the CIA or MI6, Citadel takes it one step further: “loyal to no man and no nation”.
Though the urban landscapes are eye-drawing, Citadel would lack the intensity without the stylised filmmaking. From montage sequence to camera spins, these sequences draw the eye. Rather than bogging an audience member down with tech or spy talk, Citadel focuses on intent conversations and a stylised aesthetic to draw viewers in. It captures your focus, but there are moments where they get the balance slightly wrong. Their bid for style over substance sometimes means the character arcs fall short, distancing itself from its predecessors in the genre. Jason Bourne (of The Bourne Identity) and James Bond’s character arc are titular characters for a reason, they win you over. The same can’t be said for the agents of Citadel.
Plot and Pace
Though one thing remained throughout, the level of opposition felt weak for the believability of the plot. The stakes are consistently high (think nuclear warfare level of intensity), but there’s a suspiciously low amount of interference. There are never more than a few people involved in one action sequence. Though immersion in the action is easy, it’s also just as easy to become logical and insist there are a few unrealistic points. However, the spy genre isn’t known for its realism, so if you can maintain that immersion, Citadel is for you.
Though falling short in terms of some plot points, it is well-paced. Citadel grabs your attention in its first episode and keeps it throughout the six—though episode two proved the most stilted. The six episodes allowed enough time for the past and present to evolve, to grow our own pools of information about Citadel, and make our guesses of who is to blame for its past destruction (which is introduced in episode one). During its season, enough exposition is set for the twists and turns. You feel interwoven into the narrative journey, invited in by the shocking and contrastingly predictable twists (the latter heightening the effect of the former).
Though filled with romantic partnerships, the romance elements are minimal, perhaps misleading for those looking for a spy series dominated by romance. Everything is life or death, or a quick-fire build to the present day. The romance is compelling however. Their memory-loss plays at the forefront of their messy dynamics, but it’s also hard to find genuine chemistry between the leads. Individually the actors prosper, but the investment in their love-story is minimal comparatively to the interest about the spy organisation itself.
Performance
Although the character is vital to the genre, Madden’s Mason Kane feels very two-dimensional—most likely a result of Madden taking on a two-in-one role. Playing the cold, stoic agent in the past, and the family-man with no memories in the present, there is definitely interest there. But Mason Kane lacks the compelling sarky nature of Bernard, or the calculation and did-she, didn’t-she nature of Nadia. Although he is best known for another action role and romantic lead in The Bodyguard, Madden seems more at home on the period and fantasy screens (Game Of Thrones, Cinderella), and they would even be a better fit for his Scottish accent—though his English one feels authentic, his American accent slips at times.
Chopra Jonas, on the other hand, doesn’t fare much better. Although a more surprising storyline on her end, the clichés flooding the script don’t offer a lot of character appreciation. Rather, the characters feel like pieces across the chessboard, enabling the plot to unravel and slowly bringing it to its final goal. Though the performances weren’t poor by any means, like the name suggests, Citadel is truly the leader of the show.
However, supporting arcs from Ashleigh Cummings as Abby Conroy, Stanley Tucci as Bernard, and even the counter story of Dahlia Archer (Lesley Manville) divert interest away from the core two (Mason and Nadia). With a British villain leading the opposition to the titular organisation, Citadel turns tropes on its head. With foreign villains filling James Bond, Lesley Manville’s performance feels intentional, although slightly reminiscent of the caricature villain Umbridge from Harry Potter and The Order of the Phoenix. Known for other villainous roles in Harlots and more sweet-hearted characters like Mrs. Harris Goes To Paris, it’s no wonder her performance held those multitudes you’d desire in a villain.
The Verdict
Throughout there were levels of predictability, and very cultivated scenes that felt incredibly well-staged, though there were moments of shock and some twists that’ll maintain viewership into season two. The characters don’t manage to connect with an audience, but Citadel successfully maximises on the conventions of the spy genre, with locations and action sequences to maintain the visual interest.
Citadel has been confirmed for a season two, so it won’t be long until more spy-worthy TV graces your screens. And with Citadel set to produce spin-offs in different countries, with different characters, the Citadel universe is only set to expand further in the future.
Words by Annabel Smith
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