The Citadel Review: Too many explosions for such a small plot

Citadelavailable in Amazon Prime Video, begins with an action scene that lasts nearly ten minutes. This is a preamble, detailed and full of tension, which tries to show the fall of the spy agency that gave the production its title. The plot shows a tragedy that was woven in the shadows, the strategy that pulled it apart was carefully planned to take the agents of the mysterious institution by surprise.

The screenplay, written by Brian Oh, Josh Appelbaum, Sarah Bradshaw, Andre Nemec, Jeff Pinkner and Scott Rosenberg, quickly lists the keys to his script. Investigation and Defense Team Citadel It consists of agents who are not dependent on the government or any authority. So their actions are directed, as it may seem incredible, to protect the common good, without expecting anything in return. The film shows that under the technological and strategic structure there is a group of hardworking men and women who are ready to give their lives for a purpose greater than any of them.

Of course, this approach requires more than a spectacular start to surprise or interest. At least a concrete explanation of what drives the high-tech altruism of the organization that will become the focus of the plot. Citadel does not provide it. What little data he includes in his story is blurred in an endless chain of fights, explosions, and mysteries that are suggested but not deepened.

Lots of explosions, but little consistency

Essentially the first chapter of the miniseries Citadel It boils down to an empty display of technical resources and digital effects. Creator Josh Appelbaum, one of the producers of the cult Mission Impossible – Ghost Protocol, gives the plot a subtle tension with hints of international intrigue. But whether because of the absurdity of the plot, or because the show’s real purpose is not to delve into its characters, the story is superficial.

While the agents Mason Kane (Richard Madden) and Nadia Shin (Priyanka Chopra Jonas) train through the Italian Alps on an unexplained mission, the conspiracy behind them is revealed. without them knowing Manticorea shady organization with seemingly unlimited power and resources, nullifies the foundations Citadel. This is a dangerous maneuver aimed at simultaneously attacking on all fronts that they can resist. Which includes both main characters.

History moves forward in the midst of an accumulation of data that ultimately does not show how a plan of this magnitude will be carried out. Half-revelations are whispered between anonymous characters, as well as a pact of love and fidelity that unites Mason already Nadia.

But the script isn’t coherent enough to explore the motives of enemies and victims, or what happens when the destruction strategy succeeds. What is the true purpose Manticore? Just fight your opponent or make sure you don’t have one in the future? The narrative leaves unfinished endings and unanswered questions to focus on its protagonists’ ability to shoot and throw explosive devices.

For when the inevitable happens and agents end up captured by the unerring abilities of the organization that pursues them, Citadel make a time jump. Also one of the tone and rhythm that makes the conflict and how it will be resolved even more confusing.

Ride to nowhere Citadel

The second and third chapters of the book Citadel spend a lot of time showing everyday scenes of new life Mason. The agent lost his memory – there is a direct assumption that it is not accidental – and lives an ordinary family life. Again, the plot fails to explore its least common places. Also in providing a broader and more specific context for a story that drinks from action movie clichés.

From a suspiciously innocent wife – a hint of General call, Paul Verhoeven, from 1990 to the constant memory of the missing Nadia. The plot lacks the ability to create a sense of urgency or the need to solve a mystery. Each element seems to be a less-than-accurate reproduction of more complex and better-told stories.

Even the visual part loses coherence in favor of creating a dreamlike environment with surreal undertones. WhatMason actually forgot everything that happened during the fatal attack Manticore Or something else? Again, Citadel refers to a riddle hiding vital information in order to understand his story. Where is the former agent? How to get there? The resource of visits to a psychologist becomes unlikely when the questions are structured to answer the possible doubts of the viewer.

Try Amazon Prime Video fully free for 30 days and enjoy the full platform catalog without limits. Just signing up you will have instant access to the best movies and series, as well as free shipping on amazon and other benefits.

Try Prime Video for free

In the end, the production is lost among its contradictions. On the one hand, he seems to insist on a desperate search for clues to the past. Mason. On the other hand, the need to meet the enemy on the hunt. Without choosing one path or the other, the series loses the coherence and epic meaning it was trying to achieve. A problem that you will need to solve in the remaining episodes.