Citadel (2012) - Ciaran Foy

Tommy lives in a old decaying apartment complex with his pregnant wife.  One fateful day, his wife is attacked by a group of young hooded thugs, and in her death, Tommy is left to raise his new born daughter alone.  Due to this traumatic event, Tommy now suffers from an extreme case of agoraphobia, hiding out in his new flat where he is constantly fearful of imaginary threats.  When the same hooded gang begins to appear around his flat, Tommy fears they are intent on capturing his daughter though he soon discovers that the supernatural may be involved.   Ciaran Foy's Citadel is an incredibly tense, atmospheric piece of horror filmmaking that grabs a hold of the viewer and never lets go.  The film does a great job at putting the viewer into the main character's psychological landscape, as he fears everything around him.  Time is spent with Tommy, as we witness the struggles and tribulations it takes for him merely leave his home, making him a character that one can't help but route for.  We are not given much, like our protagonist, about these hooded thugs which really adds to horror element, creating an atmospheric and tension-filled experience.  The combination of Tommy's agoraphobia and these hooded creatures blend together perfectly, even walking that thin line where the viewer begins to question whether these hood creatures are real or merely a figment of our protagonist's imagination.  Foy understands how to create an atmosphere, between some great use of sound and camera work to an absolutely perfect setting that is cold and desolate, perfectly complimenting the loneliness and desperation in Tommy's soul.  I'd rather not go into much detail about the plot, as it's better that way, but Citadel's deeper thematic intentions are about fear itself, and how one must not let fear consume.  Tommy is a character whose life has fallen apart because of his condition and the film is really about one not letting fear dictate living.  Citadel is a fantastic debut effort by Ciaran Foy who is someone to definitely watch.

8.5/10

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