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Citadel Series Premiere Review: Citadel appears to be a pretty big deal for Amazon Prime Video and I have no idea why. It's baffling with how the service is putting all of its eggs in one basket by announcing many spinoffs of the show, because after watching the first two episodes of the Richard Madden and Priyanka Chopra Jonas-starrer, I was disappointed in how formulaic it was, with the premise feeling like a rejected Bond-plot. Citadel: Richard Madden Is All Praises for Priyanka Chopra, Says She’s ‘Fully Committed, Collaborative, Instinctive and a Brilliant Improviser’.
Citadel, which is developed by David Weil, follows the secret spy agency called Citadel. After a mission that sees the fall of Citadel, the two of its best agents, Mason Kane (Richard Madden) and Nadia Sinh (Priyanka Chopra Jonas), have their memories erased and are assumed dead. But when the villainous crime syndicate Manticore rises from the shadows, Mason and Nadia must restore their memories and get back into action to stop them once and for all.
Citadel feels like a mix of The Bourne Identity and the 007 flicks, with the plot feeling like a retread of the two. There's nothing of substance here, and the concept is so uninteresting and generic that I couldn't get myself to care in any manner. With the fall of Citadel established in the first episode, it reminded me of Skyfall - just without the emotional impact that movie had.
The chemistry between Priyanka and Richard Madden is the most important aspect of Citadel. Both get the sparks to fly when they share the scenes together, but they are quickly separated, and the show comes to a halt and doesn't engage you as much.
Watch the Trailer for Citadel:
Citadel goes for a grand scale without building the smaller moments in its plot. It is so focused on getting to the bigger picture that it overlooks the more intimate storytelling. The interesting conflicts it sets up are quickly dismissed in favour of an action scene that is entertaining to see, but I would have liked a stronger emotional connection to it. That’s not to take away from the action though, the scenes are actually choreographed well and the framing of these sequences made for some of the more interesting bits of the episodes.
Madden is dashing in the role of Mason and when in action, he makes for a charming lead (MGM, here is your new James Bond by the way), and Priyanka also proves herself to be a capable femme-fatale in the role of Nadia, but the highlight of the performances comes in Stanley Tucci who plays Bernard Orlick. Tucci just seems to be enjoying himself here as the tech-genius of Citadel, and you enjoy seeing him do so. Unfortunately, Lesley Manville’s Dahlia Archer is a comically evil villain that I just couldn’t take seriously. Citadel Trailer: Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Richard Madden’s Spy Thriller Is High on Actions, Streamy Scenes and Lot of Twists! (Watch Video).
Citadel is confused about whether it wants to be a film or a television show. The first season will be six episodes long, and it will follow the failed Marvel Disney+ concept which worries me more than anything. The conclusion of the episodes feel abrupt and jarring, and there is so much story to tell that I don’t know if it will be able to wrap it up in four more episodes, especially given their runtime. If you want to make a movie then just make a movie, man. Don’t disguise it as a show and have a case of a mistaken identity.
Yay!
Richard Madden and Priyanka Chopra Jonas’ Chemistry
Action Scenes are Entertaining
Nay!
Generic Story
Doesn’t Feel Engaging
Final Thoughts
Citadel is off to a rocky start. The stakes feel non-existent, and the plot is shallow where Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Richard Madden's chemistry is underutilised. If this is what we can anticipate from the series, then colour me worried for the final four episodes. Citadel premieres on April 28, 2023 on Amazon Prime Video.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 27, 2023 07:34 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
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