The search for the next James Bond is on, and thanks to Citadel, Richard Madden (Game of Thrones) is among the favourites. The Amazon series shows him with a suit and a shotgun, impresses with its action scenes and the chemistry of its stars. Unfortunately, the core remains interchangeable. And where is the unbelievable 200 million US dollar budget hidden?
That’s what the Amazon series Citadel is all about
Mason Kane (Madden) and Nadia Sinh (Priyanka Chopra Jonas) are elite agents for the ultra-secret, independent intelligence agency, the Citadel. When deployed, they are lured into a large-scale trap set up by the evil syndicate Manticore and such seriously injured that they lose their memory.
Citadel is destroyed and the two start a new life, unaware of their past. For eight years, Manticore’s power grows, eventually threatening to throwing the world into chaos. Ex-Citadel contact Orlick (Stanley Tucci) decides to seek out Kane and recruit him for a new mission.
The creators of Citadel are Marvel Masters Joe and Anthony Russo (Avengers 4: Endgame), directed by David Weil (Hunters). The concept of the series also includes spin-offs that are to play in Italy and India, among other places. The production was neither easy nor cheap, according to the Hollywood Reporter. But what happened in the end?
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Richard Madden and Priyanka Chropra Jonas in Citadel
Citadel is Richard Madden’s James Bond application
Except for the amnesia Citadel could easily be a forgotten chapter of the James Bond saga. Two warring secret organizations with great resemblance to MI6 and Specter. Tailor-made evening wear, cocktails, hands-on action and lots of shady affairs in between.
Even in the details, the great role model is always present. When Kane skis down snow-covered mountains to flee from faceless captors or takes out rows of enemies on the train, Bond fans will inevitably be reminded of For Your Eyes Only or Specter.
The Amazon series thrives on great action and charming main characters
Citadel’s strengths are therefore the same as those of a modern Bond film: charming main characters and fast-paced action. Richard Madden convinces with a surprising charisma, which was missing from Game of Thrones or its MCU appearance Eternals.
He shares an enthralling chemistry with Priyanka Chopra Jonas, making them both believable agents and ex-lovers with just the right amount of depth. And, unsurprisingly, Stanley Tucci is a treat, as always.
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Jonas in Citadel
But most of all, many viewers will like the excitingly choreographed action scenes, which are implemented by Madden and Chopra Jonas with a lot of physical effort. John Wick fans might get their money’s worth.
Citadel is a scheme-based spy thriller
Apart from the Bond references, the action and the great stars remains of Citadel but unfortunately only a faint imprint in memory. The agent with amnesia issue is nothing new after the Jason Bourne movies. But that shouldn’t bother you.
Even in the details, however, there are few surprises. The secret organizations Citadel and Manticore remain pale and edgeless. They just want to save or manipulate the world for whatever reason. To do this, they live in faceless office complexes with lots of glass and send faceless henchmen through the area in combat gear.
Amazon
Richard Madden as Mason Kane
The veil of interchangeability also falls on plot developments and more important characters. Mason and his comrades are chasing black suitcases that contain either chemicals or important information. Mason’s wife and children, actually a dramaturgical catalyst for the agent’s emotional conflict, are parked in the middle of nowhere in the first episodes and used once per episode for rueful, 30-second long-distance calls.
The result is a spy thriller by the scheme. Story elements sometimes appear as if the makers put them into the series based on machine analysis. Producers Joe and Anthony Russo (Avengers 4: Endgame) as well as director David Weil don’t do anything wrong, but unfortunately they don’t do anything special either. Where Bond recently became controversially emotional, Citadel is dominated by the algorithm.
This article is based on the first three episodes of the series.
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