Citadel
Metascore
62 out of 100

Generally favorable reviews - based on 13 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 6 out of 13
  2. Mixed: 7 out of 13
  3. Negative: 0 out of 13
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  1. The A.V. Club
    Reviewed by: Noel Murray
    Nov 14, 2012
    83
    Citadel is plenty scary: a bare-bones man-against-his-worst-fears white knuckler, shot through deep, menacing shadows.
  2. Total Film
    Reviewed by: Rosie Fletcher
    Mar 1, 2013
    80
    [A] fresh, eerie twist on urban horror.
  3. Chicago Sun-Times
    Reviewed by: Roger Ebert
    Dec 6, 2012
    75
    This is a basic story, simply and directly told by Irish writer-director Ciaran Foy. He doesn't try to explain too much, he doesn't depend on special effects and stays just this side of the unbelievable.
  4. Charlotte Observer
    Reviewed by: Lawrence Toppman
    Nov 29, 2012
    75
    I think Foy simply wants to deliver well-gauged terror and make a few points about personal responsibility and the need to overcome our fears. That he does quite well.
  5. Slant Magazine
    Reviewed by: Nick Schager
    Nov 6, 2012
    75
    Citadel is stripped down and no-nonsense, fixating on Tommy's emotional and psychological struggles with an intensity that's harrowing.
  6. Variety
    Reviewed by: Joe Leydon
    Nov 6, 2012
    70
    Writer-director Ciaran Foy skillfully taps into primal fears and urban paranoia to keep his audience consistently unsettled in Citadel, an intensely suspenseful horror-thriller.
  7. The New York Times
    Reviewed by: Jeannette Catsoulis
    Nov 8, 2012
    60
    This spare first feature from the Irish filmmaker Ciaran Foy (drawing on his own experiences) has an atavistic pulse, evoking a decaying society where elevators fail and bus drivers cower behind mesh grills.
  8. Time Out New York
    Reviewed by: Keith Uhlich
    Nov 6, 2012
    60
    The more that fright-flick conventions take over, the more the movie's recognizable and resonant human fears are dulled.
  9. The Globe and Mail (Toronto)
    Reviewed by: Rick Groen
    Nov 16, 2012
    50
    No longer content with simple conservatism, this horror is downright totalitarian.
  10. Los Angeles Times
    Reviewed by: Mark Olsen
    Nov 15, 2012
    50
    The feature debut from Irish writer-director Ciarán Foy, Citadel attempts to transform mundane anxieties into the stuff of a horror film. But the initial tension of the premise dissipates like a slow leak.
  11. The Hollywood Reporter
    Reviewed by: John DeFore
    Nov 6, 2012
    50
    A dispiriting horror cheapie whose monsters-in-the-projects premise plays out like an anti-welfare parable.
  12. The Playlist
    Reviewed by: Drew Taylor
    Nov 8, 2012
    42
    Citadel, which won the Midnight award at the fest, further explores the fears and anxieties of urban Britain (and Ireland), and the results are sometimes scary, sometimes silly, and always politically questionable.
  13. Empire
    Reviewed by: Owen Williams
    Feb 25, 2013
    40
    Plenty of pungent ideas and a nice line in urban terror. The final product falls short of the best in Brit horror, though.

User Reviews

All reviews »
User Score
7.4 out of 10

Generally favorable reviews- based on 8 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 2 out of 2
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 2
  3. Negative: 0 out of 2
  1. NavQ
    6
    It took me a while to get absorbed in this because I'm familiar with the area where this was filmed. Once I was into Citadel it was a bit slow but It's actually a nicely paced, moody horror that kept me interested throughout.

    The acting was pretty good all round, even the baby cried on cue, lol. James Cosmo (Braveheart, Sons of Anarchy) is the only person I recognised and his role as the heavy handed, ever swearing Priest seemed almost convincing but he was good. Aneurin Barnard played the most annoying of characters Tommy who I kept hoping would get killed in a particularly nasty way. Admittedly his acting was good it was just his role that I hated. The very attractive Wunmi Mosaku played the (almost) love interest well and I really hope I see more her in future.

    This was a nicely produced and well directed indie flik and all with minimum resources which is impressive. I hope Ciaran Foy, the writer/director does more features because this being his first he's done very, very well. Recommended.

    Score: 6.5/10    … Full Review »
  2. Lambo442
    6
    The opening to this film was fantastic but unfortunately it goes downhill quite quickly. The acting is pretty poor and the suspense/horror was spoiled for me by too much being revealed too soon. It's such a shame because it has a lot going for it. Very atmospheric with some bleak locations that really add to the sense of foreboding. A decent plot at it's core with a very disturbing concept and some brilliantly intense scenes. But the plot takes a dissapointing direction early on. I switched it off eventually. Would love to see more original, low budget films like this though… Full Review »
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