‘Citadel: Honey Bunny’ Review: Varun Dhawan and Samantha Ruth Prabhu’s Slick Spy Series Falters When Tied to a Larger ‘Universe’ (LatestLY Exclusive)

Citadel Honey Bunny Review: The Russo brothers, Anthony and Joe, built their careers directing some of the biggest hits in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. While their successes with Marvel catapulted them to fame, they also turned into a double-edged sword for the filmmakers as they sought to develop their own cinematic universes beyond Marvel’s orbit, albeit with mixed results. The Gray Man burned out its potential franchise after the cold reception to the first film, while Citadel persists despite a nearly non-existent fan base. Now, we have an Indian spinoff, Citadel: Honey Bunny, a prequel to the main series, directed by Raj Nidimoru and Krishna DK - Indian streaming space's fave filmmakers - and marking Varun Dhawan’s web debut. ‘Citadel Honey Bunny’ Premiere: Varun Dhawan, Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Aditya Roy Kapur, Shahid Kapoor and Other Celebs Attend the Screening of Raj & DK’s Series.

The storyline of Citadel: Honey Bunny unfolds across two timelines. In 1992, Honey (Samantha Ruth Prabhu) is a struggling actress, while her boyfriend Bunny (Varun Dhawan) is a Bollywood stuntman, a job that serves as a cover for his real role as an agent in a secretive organisation led by his ‘Baba’ (Kay Kay Menon). Cash-strapped Honey agrees to be a honeypot in one of Bunny’s missions and eventually becomes interested in joining his outfit full-time, though Baba is less than pleased with this idea.

The second timeline, set in 2000, finds Honey as a single mother raising her seven-year-old daughter, Nadia (Kashvi Majmundar), in Nainital. This little girl is destined to grow up into Priyanka Chopra’s character in the main Citadel series—a fun nod considering Priyanka won her Miss World title that same year.

Watch the Trailer of 'Citadel: Honey Bunny':

Honey has been hiding herself and her daughter from her past, but this violent past returns to haunt them. Why the villains seek her out and what happened to her and Bunny are gradually revealed throughout the series.

'Citadel: Honey Bunny' Review - Stylish Action Sequences

Raj & DK bring their trademark slick direction and cinematic homages to Citadel: Honey Bunny. The series has a stylish, international feel (though the greyish colour tone eventually feels repetitive). The action sequences are, hands down, the series’ highlight. Stylishly choreographed with good use of long tracking shots and nearly invisible cuts, these scenes feature Raj & DK’s signature ‘one-shot’ sequences. Standout moments include Honey’s escape from her captors’ car, Bunny’s daring rescue of Honey from a hotel room and the bike chase afterwards in Mumbai streets, the attack on Honey’s hidden base, and the climactic shootout.

However, there are times when these sequences feel overly convenient. Bullet wounds are easily forgotten, villains drop weapons to fight hand-to-hand just when they have the upper hand, and the ‘one-shot’ sequences never apply to hand-to-hand combat scenes. Still, the action remains Citadel: Honey Bunny’s strongest suit, with Varun Dhawan and especially Samantha Ruth Prabhu committing fully to their roles.

'Citadel: Honey Bunny' Review - Faltering Screenplay

I wish I could say the same for the rest of the series. Since The Family Man’s second season, Raj & DK’s screenplays have started to feel like they lose steam after a thrilling start. I felt this with The Family Man S2, Farzi, and especially Guns & Gulaabs, and Citadel: Honey Bunny follows a similar trajectory.

The series begins strongly, with both timelines feeling equally engaging. Honey’s introduction into Bunny’s spy world is intriguing, and her struggle to protect herself and her daughter from killers adds suspense. However, the 1992 narrative loses its appeal when it shifts to Belgrade for a mission. Here, the show begins to remind us it’s part of a bigger ‘Citadel’ universe, which unfortunately marks a decline in quality.

Soon enough, characters are chasing a MacGuffin—a spy thriller cliché that’s become stale. The Russo brothers themselves have used this trope in films like Captain America: The Winter Soldier and The Gray Man, and the influence shows here. The pulpy fun of the early episodes fades, and we’re left in standard spy drama territory.

Raj & DK attempt to salvage things with polished scenes, and the actors perform well, especially Kay Kay Menon, who brings a compelling energy to his role. But the dark humour that was once a Raj & DK staple is notably scarce. There are occasional humorous moments, such as Bunny’s aides, Chacko (Shivankit Singh Parihar) and Ludo (Soham Majumdar), staging a mock fight to distract enemies, but not enough to keep the series consistently engaging.

Some subplots feel rushed or underdeveloped, such as Honey’s relationship with Bunny and her own growth as an accomplished spy that gets speedtracked through. In fact, their one major mission together nearly fails because she’s almost caught after straying from her orders. Even the Citadel plotline fails to add much intrigue once it’s revealed.

'Citadel: Honey Bunny' Review - Samantha Ruth Prabhu Shines

Where Citadel: Honey Bunny's storyline truly shines is in its portrayal of Honey’s relationship with her daughter, Nadia, showing how Honey has trained her child to handle dangerous situations. Young Kashvi Majmundar is adorable in her role, and Samantha stands out, benefiting from a well-written character arc and excelling in the action scenes. Her dialogue delivery in a couple of the more dramatic moments needs polishing, however. ‘Citadel Season 2’: Priyanka Chopra and Stanley Tucci Spotted Filming in London for the Upcoming Prime Video Series.

Varun Dhawan is charming and dependable, though his character could have benefited from further development, particularly in his chemistry with Honey. Even his storyline with ‘Baba,’ which hints at a tense ‘father-son’ dynamic, loses steam by the end. His intro scene is cool, though, and he excels in the action scenes.

Among the supporting cast, Shivankit Singh Parihar and Soham Majumdar are good, though they don’t get as much space to shine as Bhuvan Arora (who has a cameo here) does in Farzi. Sikander Kher and Simran also have limited scope. Saqib Saleem plays KD, one of the series' antagonists and a fellow agent seeking Baba’s approval. Though an interesting character on paper, his ‘rebellious’ finale act feels like a last-ditch attempt to heighten the stakes for an ‘action-packed’ climax.

PS: How come the very desi Rahi Gambhir turned so British in the main Citadel series (played by actor Paul Bazely)? Did they not plan out this casting as they branched out the universe?

'Citadel: Honey Bunny' Review - Final Thoughts

Citadel: Honey Bunny is as mixed bag as it gets, and the reason is one that is affecting some recent shows and movies—being forced into a larger cinematic universe. The series showcases flashes of Raj & DK’s signature style, with a few standout action sequences and well-handled dramatic beats, particularly in the scenes between Honey and Nadia. Samantha Ruth Prabhu shines, and Varun Dhawan brings his usual charm, but the series falters by trying to align itself too closely with the broader Citadel universe - a decision that drags down its unique potential with over-stuffed ideas and underdeveloped beats. All six episodes of Citadel: Honey Bunny are streaming on Prime Video.

(The opinions expressed in the above article are of the author and do not reflect the stand or position of LatestLY.)

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Nov 07, 2024 01:22 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).