Fearful father Tommy (Aneurin Barnard) tries to discern between real and imagined threats in "Citadel."
Tommy Cowley lives a quiet life in a decaying apartment complex with his highly pregnant wife. The couple is attacked one day by a group ...
Rating: R for disturbing violent content, and language
Length: 84 minutes
Released: November 9, 2012 NY
Cast: James Cosmo, Aneurin Barnard, Wunmi Mosaku, Amy Shiels
Director: Ciaran Foy
Writer: Ciaran Foy
The feature debut from Irish writer-director Ciarán Foy, "Citadel" (opening Friday at Downtown West) attempts to transform mundane anxieties into the stuff of a horror film. But the initial tension of the premise dissipates like a slow leak.
Tommy (Aneurin Barnard) is trapped inside an elevator watching helplessly as hooded thugs attack his pregnant wife. Stabbed with a syringe, she goes into a coma and never awakens, though doctors successfully deliver the baby.
The film then becomes a parable of urban anxiety and the fear of fatherhood, as Tommy develops severe agoraphobia, refusing to leave his apartment while also becoming convinced those same kids are coming back for his newborn infant.
Add in a likely touch of the supernatural — Is it just my meds or are those young ruffians actually freaky zombies? — and Foy seems to have created a neat little engine for a smart indie horror movie. Yet even with its relatively short running time, "Citadel" still feels repetitive with no surprises once the story is on the table.
Turning in a strong performance, Barnard projects Tommy's recognition that what he thinks is happening probably isn't, helping the film immeasurably.
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