User reviews

I do normally take a look at other reviews of the films I watch, just to see if other people got something that I missed. Here, I think I must have been watching a completely different film. If you check out a lot of the online reviews of 'Citadel' then you'll be told it's one of the best modern horror films ever.

It just bored me.

It's an Irish horror film about a young man who witnesses his wife being murdered by demon children, leaving him an agoraphobic. He later meets up with a - slightly bonkers - old priest and they team up to fight the aforementioned demon hoodies.

It's an okay enough idea (I've seen worse), but I didn't find any of the characters interesting or likable, plus the children weren't that scary (well, no more than their identical clones you see hanging around every off license up and down the country).

Yes, it was presented in a reasonably different way which made it clear they were trying to steer away from the Hollywood style of film-making. But, at the end of the day, it didn't take away from the fact that it bored me.

Others obviously disagreed. Fair enough.

Honestly, I love the whole concept and the story. The thing I found so difficult to watch was the main character, Tommy Cowley. Granted he's agoraphobic, but I'm a bit irritated with such weak characters, especially when they're men. So you'd better have a lot of patience for Tommy's constant cringing if you want to finish the film.

In a nutshell, I thought the decisions the main character made were all short of idiotic, but then again, maybe it's attributed to his "condition". It didn't hamper the fact that the cinematography was quite good, the atmosphere--excellent, and the acting convincing. The spin of the story was also very interesting and I liked that they added an element of supernatural in it.

The pace of the movie is a bit slow, but I thought that worked quite well for the film. There's not much action involved, but I thought the ending was quite good. I still don't regret watching the film and would recommend it.

Ever see the video for Come To Daddy by Aphex Twin?

If you haven't, do yourself a favour and check it out. It is 10 utterly brilliant and terrifying minutes. You won't regret it.

Why mention this?

Cos the director of this steaming pile of dung has clearly seen it and decided that what works in 10 minutes can be definitely dragged out for 85. Come To Daddy works cos it's a music video. It doesn't have to observe real life logic.

This just doesn't work. No-one calls the police in this. No-one even seems to own one these new-fangled telephone machines all the young people are talking about these days.

There are good reviews for this film on this site. Ignore them. They are (strangely enough!) 1-review wonders.

This film is dreck. Avoid.

Not as bad as the previous user has stated, and seeing that he is Irish, you would think he would have a bit more encouragement for Irish funded films. Granted it is certainly not perfect, but the scary scenes are genuinely scary and the film does provide a jump here and there. The lead performance was strong enough for an upcoming actor and I liked the idea of a weak main character. The bargained price Brian Cox priest character was a bit too much though and the scenes involving him really took from the film. Overall very watchable and with more of a budget this could have been a whole other film....which is probably a bad thing

The idea was quite interesting and could have been made into a reasonable and creepy little movie. Sadly, that was not to be. The agoraphobic Tommy was painful to watch, like a scared rabbit caught in the headlights for the entire movie. You really wanted him to get a good kicking, he deserved it. The priest was not bad, a little OTT but likable, unklike Tommy, who became more loathsome as the movie progressed. The whingeing baby was also a bit of a spoiler too, there were quite a few times in the movie that I hoped the "Demon" children would have simply eaten her and been done.

Probably the most realistic and frightening part of the entire movie was the "Demon" children. These were obviously not actors, but real children from the West End of Newcastle, everything about them was authentic Scotswood/Benwell/Cruddas Park. Amazing how the film makers managed to train them to turn up for work each day. Their clothes and behaviour were a perfect example of the youth from the North East of England - fantastic casting! Well done to the make up department too! You managed to almost make them look a little more human than they appear in real life as they scurry through the alleys and back lanes of West Denton.

This movie obviously did not have the budget of the fancy multi-billion Hollywood production. Thus, in order to capture us, it focuses on one thing that Hollywood can not put a price on. Talent and acting. Aneurin Barnard is an excellent choice as the lead actor, and gives a wonderful and solid performance. He obviously is a very talented actor, and I am convinced that we will be seeing a lot more of him in the future. Hopefully not in crappy Hollywood high-budget flicks, but in films that focus on performance and talent. The entire cast was quite good in general, and combined with the direction, they created a "wonderful" claustrophobic atmosphere, that was exactly what this story needed. This movie will not impress due to its originality (as it is not very original really), but it is good due to the work put in it by talented individuals, and it is definitely worth seeing.

Unfathomably dull and boring. "Citadel" is one of the more pointless and irrelevant movies that I have seen in a while. You just sit there throughout the movie and think "why?"

The story is about a family that live in a condemned building, where the Tommy (played by Aneurin Barnard) see his wife stabbed down by hooded strangers. Their unborn baby is miraculously saved, but the wife dies. Alone with the child, Tommy is given a strange warned by an odd priest (played by James Cosmo) that 'they will come for her'. Tommy's fear intensifies and grows more extreme as his home gets invaded by these hooded strangers and they seem to be haunting his every trail.

There were no thrills to this movie, and the storyline was just downright silly and a waste of time, in my opinion. I just didn't get the meaning of this movie.

The things that the movie has working for it is the production value, and also the performances put on by Aneurin Barnard and James Cosmo, particularly the latter actor. And also the pace in which the movie tells it story and progresses, it is quickly up in gear and the movie stays in high pace.

"Citadel" is an odd movie that doesn't appeal to a broad audience. I am sure there there is a segment in the audience that the movie will cater and they will find great enjoyment in the movie. I, however, wasn't fond or entertained by this movie in any way.

I was teetering between 6 and 7 here, and settled on the latter because this IS a genuinely scary and disturbing film. We've definitely had a shortage of that lately in this genre - so it was nice to have some moments where, even at 39 years-old, I felt a little uneasy.

"Citadel" has many strengths and a few weaknesses. I'll touch on a bit of each while trying not to give too much away from what is a basic storyline. Now, it didn't have to be basic.

I think where the film misses is diving a bit further into the villains of this frightening tale. The back-story there is a bit vague to say the least, and the rest of the story doesn't do much to clear it up.

I'm sure that the budget constraints limited the production in certain ways, BUT I think all involved deserve more kudo's than criticism. After all, the intent with these types of films is to scare, and this is as "uncomfortable" as I've been watching a film in quite some time.

Think of a darker, scarier spin on Harry Brown. "Citadel" actually borrows quite a bit from "Harry Brown".

The film is extremely brooding - never really stepping into the light for more than a few seconds. I think it's definitely a strength. The film does have it's own sense of Style.

You have the feeling during this film that you are completely alone. There is no help coming, and you'll have to fend for yourself.

The film is without question under-rated at present on IMDb. I pulled up the rating on my phone after renting it from the redbox, and due to time, I nearly put-off watching it altogether. Glad I fit it in. I've seen 62 films from 2012 so far, and this is definitely in the top 20 for now. It's one of the better entries into the horror genre over the last few years, and could have been incredible if they would have just finished the film.

The ending needed a bit more carnage and revenge to put this over-the-top into the "true-gem-of-a-sleeper" category. They were so close... literally a few heads being axed-off and an explosion away from sheer low-budget glory, and a 9 ranking. Why do I get the feeling we'll see an American version of this that spends 10 times the money but has no sense of style or scare value?

The acting is way above average for this type of thing, and it's that acting and the mood that keeps it afloat. The lead and the priest are great. There are only 4 speaking roles in the whole film! 4! Rather than nit-pick the plot and the ending(which are easy targets) - let's step back and enjoy some of the strong characteristics of this film.

You might like this if you liked:Candyman(better), Winter's Bone(better),The Road(about even or ever-so-slightly better), Eden Lake(about even or ever-so slightly better), The People Under The Stairs(even), and The Brood(even).

If you want a sleeper horror film to rent - it's usually a dangerous proposition. That's one of the many reasons why I can recommend this one. Far from perfect, but boy this little low-budget Irish entry packs quite an uneasy punch.

67/100

I watched this last night. I just checked the reviews. I am frankly mind-boggled. Someone called it a social commentary...what? This movie is awful! Okay sure it shows the plight of the lower class. And some weird mutants that look like the paperboy from that John Cusack movie " Better Off Dead".

The lead character comes off as whiny, not sympathetic. I get that he is traumatized and has a phobia but come on..the acting is abysmal . On the other hand I did find the priest to be vaguely amusing though I don't think that was the intent.

I guess if you are a social sciences major or just pretentious you might find higher meaning in this. Me, I am just a high school graduate and found it to be stupid and that the lead character should have lost custody of the child.

Although this film was made thanks to sponsorship from the Irish film board, it is far from a piece of Catholic dogma. The character who plays the priest renounces religion entirely and the film's horror is an original and recent addition to the genre. It's full of good ideas and can be related to relatively recent phenomena; the urban sprawl and the creation of enormous flatblocks outside city centres, prevalent across the United Kingdom. Most frighteningly perhaps it represents the disaffected youth who hide themselves from the enormous collection of security cameras which dictate their life. Spawns of drug selling youth hide their identity behind hoodies; who'd have guessed 20 years ago that being approached by a group of youth wearing tracksuits would be such a menacing phenomenon. In this film creative use is made of this fear. The film is far from perfect, but most important is its originality, fear is created the way it should be, as suspense, and the implication of the horror created by its themes don't require an enormous spilling of blood or disgusting special effects to disquiet and disturb you. I'm glad I saw this film; it proves again that truly good additions to the genre, don't originate from Hollywood and don't require its approval to be made.

Great acting by a guy that convinces u that hes going through some real stuff.

An agoraphobic father teams up with a renegade priest to save his daughter from the clutches of a gang of twisted feral children who committed an act of violence against his family years earlier.

Although I have to give my congrats to Ireland for making a widely-released horror film in 2012 (the Irish horror scene is not well-known in America)... and although this film seems to have resonated with various people... I just was not one of those people.

Honestly, I had a hard time getting into the picture and just sort of felt bored by it all. I am keeping this review at a 5 until I see it a second time (which may never happen). Maybe I just was not in the right mood, though I saw other films today without problems...

Citadel is one of those movies that have a very effective, intriguing and startling beginning, but loses its steam after its tricks and twists are revealed. I did think the movie was atmospheric from beginning to end, with a couple of suspenseful moments here and there. The film starts off with young parents to be, who just finished packing up their things to move from their run down apartment building. The wife is soon attacked by unknown hooded youths, while the husband watches in horror as he gets stuck in an elevator. The attack leaves the wife dead, but forces the baby into the world prematurely. From there on we witness the father's struggle to raise his baby daughter on his own, while dealing with the loss of his wife and becomes agoraphobic. That raw, heartfelt, terrifying and emotionally powerful first half is boggled down by the unrealistic hooded figures that he fears the most, but for me I just wasn't sold and didn't find them scary. They reminded me of the creatures from The Brood.

The performances really save this film, most notably from Aneurin Barnard who plays the emotionally scarred, widowed father Tommy. He gives such an emotionally challenging role and does it in such a gripping fashion than most actors under 30 couldn't pull off. James Cosmo was also great as the Priest and gives such a dead pan, eccentric and commanding performance. James reminded me for some reason of the actor Brian Cox.

Director and writer, Ciaran Foy definitely knows how to get under your skin and stay there, with his claustrophobic atmosphere. I just thought there was an inconsistency with his story; sure it was gripping for most of the running time but just wasn't effective as a whole. The ending was just pretty weak to me and the hooded figures have been done before in a much scarier fashion, like in the film Them. The whole twist was just a sham to me and undermines the harrowing first half. He has the skills and knows how to use them for this genre but got quickly lost here. I still think that it's a pretty decent start for a first time director.

Overall, the movie that comes to mind that dealt with urban violence in a way more effective matter is The Brave One. Citadel had a great start and had one of the most heartfelt and gripping performances from an actor in a horror film in 2012. The villains were just not that scary and kind of silly to me once they are revealed and yanked the effectiveness out of the movie for me. It's a decent horror film but also a disappointment.

My thoughts and impressions regarding "Citadel" are split in two . On one hand, the screenplay is vastly implausible and full of holes to a point where it even becomes frustrating to watch. On the other hand, though, it's undeniably one of the only movies ever that truly gave me shivers and made me feel genuinely uncomfortable. And, in the end, isn't that what a good horror/thriller does? The shivers are caused by the miserable atmosphere, the bleak settings, the identifiable fear in the eyes of the lead character, and the simple fact that the life of an innocent and defenseless infant is at stake the entire running time. Especially that last element made a big impact on me. If I had seen "Citadel" immediately after its release, in 2012, or even a few years later, it probably would have been just another average horror film. In the meantime, however, I am a father of two myself, and must acknowledge that the worst nightmare imaginable is that you're incapable of protecting your child from whatever type of wrongdoing.

Writer/director Cirián Foy based the plot on a personal and traumatizing experience, as he was menaced by a group of hoodlum kids when he was younger, and the subsequent years in which he developed agoraphobia. He captures the intensity of this condition very accurately. I don't know if he's also a young parent, but he definitely also accurately captures the horrible sentiment of not being able to protect your own child. The ghettos where "Citadel" takes place, as well as the titular building and the supportive characters, are genuinely depressing and petrifying. Aneurin Barnard gives an authentically honest performance, and two or three sequences come so unexpectedly, and are so tense, that I can only refer to this film as a gem... Just not suitable for everybody.

Browsing reddit for a horror movie to watch, I saw this one recommended a couple times. Something dealing with a more psychological aspect always interests me, so I decided to give it a shot. Sadly, I was disappointed. Small spoilers may follow (descriptions of small scenes) but nothing that will ruin the plot or the entirety of the described scene.

The movie doesn't really do a good job at... well, anything. Its plot is rather simple (not always bad) and several things were never entirely explained, such as the actual cause of what's going on as well as why some of the characters in the movie seem to just completely ignore the main character and his cries for help. There's a part (not to ruin anything) where he's shouting at someone that he just saw someone get killed and the guy he's shouting at doesn't even look him in the eye. At first I thought this was part of whatever was going on in this movie, until the "creatures" killed that guy only seconds later.

Additionally, several scenes in this movie seem implausible. While I'm aware horror's not supposed to be real, a couple scenes just defy logic, such as the creatures walking RIGHT past him at one point to attack some completely silent stranger further away from their point of entry. At times, it feels like the director forces illogical things to happen just to force conflict. Not to ruin anything again but there's a part where he has to break the door into his own house, leaving it vulnerable in the future. This is never explained, as it is made clear that it's his own house before this scene.

As for scares... Well I don't look for scares in horror movies. I look more for creepy. This movie, sadly, has neither. The creatures look like uninspired zombies (yet they're not zombies) and there's no scares, legitimate or jump-scare.

The movie's conclusion sort of just... ends. All in all, I want that hour and a half of my life back.

So dude's girlfriend gets assaulted and dies during childbirth, and dude ends up somehow with custody of the baby. We're starting on a bad note, because this kinda crap just doesn't happen. Where is the girls family? Where is his family? He's got sole custody with no help at all? Plus apparently he has severe Agoraphobia. I highly doubt this could ever possibly happen.

-1 Star right off the bat for 'I just don't believe it!'

-1 Star because theres no population to this city at all...theres apparently like 12 people in the whole city....

+1 Star I liked the little 'factory' they had set up inside the building.......

-1 Star I thought the end was stupid. This really was not a good movie.

3/10

A very bleak look at "Broken Britain" & to be honest it's pretty accurate.

A very good performance from Aneurin Barnard (Elija Wood lookalike) as Tommy.

A young guy named Tommy is suffering from Agoraphobia after his wife was brutally attacked by a gang of vile feral kids (just like in real life everyday in England) & after stabbing her in her pregnant tummy she has the baby but eventually dies. This leaves Tommy on the edge of his nerves as he tries to protect his little baby, deal with the horrific death of his wife & survive in a depressing & depraved area. Citadel is set in a bleak place, it's winter, it's cold & there's no hope. The shooting locations are truly depressing to look at & very real places with all their gritty Urban charm lol. The acting is good off of the main guy playing Tommy & the big gloomy looking tower block is a creepy looking building for most of the final action to take place. The mood is scary, creepy & very dreary. Citadel is well filmed.

There's a mistake that annoyed me though, a car window gets smashed by a feral hoodie & next scene the window is fine!!! Annoying but a minor mistake in a decent slice of Urban horror.

I liked how they used the Hoodie culture as the vile savage creatures that roam the streets for victims because that is exactly what these street gangs do in real life here in England. I hate the depraved Chavs/Hoodies that destroy our country with their antisocial behaviour & i think they're merciless & soulless as the crimes they do are horrific & disturbing so this portrayal of them is perfect here as soulless feral monsters. At one point a Nurse moans to Tommy about how everyone sees these "kids" from broken homes & that we should feel sympathy for them Lol hahaha, reminded me of that Broken Britain time when our pathetic government said "Hug a Hoodie" lol absolutely ridiculous!!! These creatures are not normal kids, they are feral without any sort of moral understanding at all.....I'm talking about the real savage hoodies that roam the streets of England everyday. I've always thought of them as creatures as they are rough, extremely vile, extremely violent & do horrific things to innocent people & there for i think they deserve NO SYMPATHY, NO UNDERSTANDING & NO MERCY. The useless "government" just gave these violent degenerates "ASBO" which they used as a deranged badge of honor of some kind. The justice system doesn't work & these rough hoodies from rough estates just live for violence & anger & have no understanding of normality & that makes them extremely dangerous as shown in the excellent EDEN LAKE. People say oh these poor kids are from broken homes & their poor & their unloved but none of that can ever excuse their vile & horrific actions. We all have problems but we don't put a stupid hood over our heads, grab a knife & go causing evil shi#. Truth is Vigilante justice is the only way to deal with that Yob culture or hoodie culture as seen in HARRY BROWN or OUTLAW.

Citadel shows real horror of real life poverty-stricken areas & turns it into a very scary psychological Horror-Thriller piece with a strong atmosphere that fills you with dread.

I also believe blowing up a building with gangs of violent feral hoodies inside is a great idea by Citadel's angry priest.

Anyway Citadel hits it's note with it's social commentary, the mouthy priest character was fairly interesting but the little blind boy seemed pointless. Towards the end of it turns slightly into fantasy but still rooted deep in British Urban Horror & Mythology. Director Ciaran Foy (Sinister 2) really crafted a scary slice of Hoodie Horror that feels full of hopelessness, fear & survival. Young Tommy will have to face his fears if he wants his daughter & himself to survive in this place. Citadel is an atmosphere piece & it totally succeeded. I felt echoes of the 1992 Classic Candyman which is also drenched in Urban Horror & Mythology. Citadel sits alongside the Hoodie Horror genre that came out of the mid-2000's when Hoodies basically took over England. We had a new genre & many Horror-Thriller films came out of societies fears of those savage feral gangs such. Films: Outlaw, Attack the Block, Community, Comedown, Harry Brown, F, Cherry Tree Lane, Tower Block, Citadel, Shank, Kidulthood, Eden Lake & Heartless, to name a few!!!

A Decent urban decay setting & a feel of real life Misery that grabs you by the throat & a an uneasiness that hangs over the whole movie, makes this one of the best & scariest of the Urban Horror genre.