R3: The Peter Grant Series by Ben Aaronovitch

Released: Between 2011 and 2017 (Published by Gollancz in the UK)

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Number of Pages: 2,336 (All books)

Books (In order of appearance): Rivers of London, Moon over Soho, Whispers Underground, Broken Homes, Foxglove Summer and The Hanging Tree

Gaining some recognition by critics and The Sunday Times, the Peter Grant series has become Ben Aaronovitch’s biggest contribution to the literature scene, alongside a few ventures into the Doctor Who series. Seeing the first book, Rivers of London, featured in a bookstore I picked it up and got reading.

The series follows the investigations of Peter Grant, a London Metropolitan Police Officer who finds himself drawn into a secret world of magic upon encountering a ghost. Taken on as an apprentice by the last remaining English wizard Deputy Constable Thomas Nightingale, Grant stumbles across a set of crimes that are far more complicated than regular police work. These also put him into contact with numerous mythical creatures from River Gods to Fairies and suspicious individuals who hide behind masks.

Taking place entirely in the first person, the reader is open to Grant’s inner thoughts; Aaronovitch relays the action but there’s also many moments where the protagonist will go off to the side and quickly explain something to us, be it police protocol or a nugget of humorous sarcasm that mixes up the traditional action. The intrigue comes through as the investigations expand and each book is imbued with just the right amount of variation to give them a unique hook. The second book, Moon over Soho, homes in on the London Jazz scene, using Peter’s music-playing father as an anchor point. Things get bloody as well with more than a few moments of dismemberment sure to create some winces and in general each of the six novels is very adult in its framing.

While Harry Potter featured an entire wizarding world hidden behind some recognisable landmarks, the Peter Grant series is a lot more grounded, layering magic elements in and around the city rather than developing a full eco-system and lore. This is shown through Nightingale’s own history, having made use of his magical prowess alongside other practitioners in World War Two and other past events. Each book reveals a little more about the fantastical creatures living out of sight, often introducing them in a defined setting such as the London Underground or some of the rougher neighbourhoods around the outskirts of the city. By the time you reach the sixth book, the series has covered just about every social avenue of the UK capital and some parts just outside the bounds.

Taking on a grounded approach does come with a few shortcomings though; you shouldn’t go in expecting character arcs that come full circle or many shocking twists or turns. Despite all the shenanigans involving magical creatures and the wreaking of various spots around London, it aims to form a realistic picture of police investigation, bringing all the slower paperwork and back-and-forth conversations that come with the job. It was Broken Homes that ended up having the biggest surprise for me and by the end of The Hanging Tree, things felt rather inconclusive. The series attempts to be more true-to-life but the encounters with the eventually-revealed antagonist can land with a dull thud at several points across the six books, particularly with the way things wrap up.

Recommended?

For a set of stories that take place in a modern London laced with all sorts of wit and cultural references, the Peter Grant series is worth a look, being more of interest to those of us who read Harry Potter at school. Each book is compact, never going beyond 500 words, which also makes it easily digestible for the travellers and commuters. Much of Peter’s perspective also ties in with the current work-driven lives we have and by taking place from his perspective, there’s some relatability to be found here. Peter’s private thoughts about his boss, opinions about the women in his life, and connections to his friends are all characteristics to hook onto. Though I ended up rooting for Nightingale a lot more thanks to his smooth manner and intelligent demeanour. This relatable side plus a dose of sarcasm does enough to make up for the somewhat disappointing narrative arc.

Book six, “The Hanging Tree” came out just under a year ago in the UK. A new story titled The Furthest Station (which takes place in-between Foxglove Summer and The Hanging Tree is set to release on September 28^th, 2017 and there was also talk of a TV series going around several years ago. But a seventh chapter in the magic police officer’s story is still a long way off. I’m hoping we can see a full conclusion at some point in the future.

"It" Movie Review

Released: 8th September 2017 (UK and United States)

Length: 135 Minutes

Certificate: 15

Director: Andy Muschietti

Starring: Jaeden Lieberher, Bill Skarsgard, Jeremy Ray Taylor, Sophia Lillis, Finn Wolfhard, Wyatt Oleff, Chosen Jacobs, Jack Dylan Grazer, and Nicholas Hamilton

“It” is one of Stephen King’s longest, most popular novels and after its first adaptation in 1990 starring Tim Curie there was hardly an evil clown that came close to matching its fright-factor. After 27 years (which happens to coincide with the titular monster’s appearance) and a helping of fanfare online, the modern “It” has arrived and it’s sure to stand out among many horror films this year.

In the small American town of Derry, odd occurrences are afoot; random disappearances are going completely unchecked by the adults and many children are witnessing something sinister luring them away from safety. The main participants here are the Losers Club, some young kids who don’t quite fit in but still get by on their close friendships. This band of misfits soon comes together to take on the killer clown Pennywise and hopefully overcome their fears. “It” switches between ordinary life in Derry to moments where Pennywise attempts to take the children away to a horrible fate; the former cuts around to many different spots around the town which does develop the setting but the film wisely chooses to focus on the characters. We’re given a lot of time to learn about the group of youths, what scares them the most and the problems they have daily. Between family problems, bullies and disappearing children the film lays down plenty of development to get you to root for these kids and it really works. When conflict crops up between the characters, it feels genuine and the chemistry that forms in the group creates a compelling dynamic that carries into the final act without much issue.

Personality is a central focus for “It” with each of the children having their own quirks that work to set them apart. It’s rather similar to the Netflix show Stranger Things (Which is fitting as the young Finn Wolfhard came directly from that series, bringing some comic relief to this film). Each member of the Losers Club gets their own moment of fright from Pennywise; Jaeden Lieberher’s Bill, Jeremy Ray Taylor’s Ben and Sophia Lillis’ Beverly are particularly great with their personal problems being put on full show throughout the film. Not all the young people are quite so developed though; of all the cast members, it’s Wyatt Oleff and Chosen Jacobs who feel slightly underused despite them being well-portrayed. Then there’s the clown himself, played by Bill Skarsgård. He doesn’t show up too often, but when he does it’s especially chilling. When compared with Tim Curie, his voice is a lot smoother, slithering through his lines with a wickedly devilish demeanour. You can tell he enjoys preying on the children and exploiting their fears to a nasty effect. Outside of a few characters who could have been given a bit more material to gel with the group, the characters of “It” really stand out as some of the more likeable characters in the modern horror genre.

The way “It” was shot and edited also fuels its mission to deliver scares; keeping between mid and close range, the shots convey Pennywise’s presence while also keeping his illusions dynamic and seamless. There’s a brilliant collection of special effects that take the fears of the children and amplify them to some grotesque heights and this cuts down on the jump scares; a few startling moments pop up here and there but it’s the manipulation of reality and the environment that brings out some of the nastier moments. Yet even with all the visual trickery going on, it’s Pennywise’s make-up that might make the biggest impression; a fantastic update from the original with costume work straight out of the Renaissance to create his disconnect from the real world. The music also twists, going from whimsical one moment to grimly foreboding the next; there’s also plenty of sound cues where the kids push back against their difficulties, further upping the audience’s investment. With most of the scares coming visually and audibly with a good build-up, the 2017 “It” succeeds at generating fear in the audience.

It’s more of a thriller with horror elements than a straight fright-fest, but unlike many other contemporaries in the horror genre, the new “It” backs up its creepy moments with characters that you will care about and by putting this before cheap scares, the modern rendition is well worth investigating, even if you have a chronic fear of clowns…

Rating: 4.5/5 Stars (Brilliant)

Detroit Movie Review

Released: 25th August 2017 (UK)

Length: 143 Minutes

Certificate: 15

Director: Kathryn Bigelow

Starring: John Boyega, Will Poulter, Algee Smith, Jacob Latimore, Jason Mitchell, Hannah Murray, Kaitlyn Dever, Jack Reynor, Ben O'Toole and Anthony Mackie

Coming to widespread acclaim in 2009 with The Hurt Locker, director Kathryn Bigelow has moved towards the framing of real events with an often-critical lens while also leading the charge for women filmmakers in the industry. Her second venture into adaptation, Detroit, continues her unflinching, politically charged examinations with outstanding results.

Taking place in Detroit’s 12^th Street Riot in 1967; the film focuses mainly on the Algiers Motel Incident which saw young black and white people brutalised and murdered by white law enforcement. Opening with an illustration to set the scene, we’re introduced to the highly internalised black culture, in which people banded together to cope with the tide of violence and the mostly white police force who rarely showed restraint in their crackdown efforts. From this springboard, a clear three-act structure takes place; the first establishes the characters and the social context they exist in, the second zeroes in on the brutality that took place at the hands of the authorities and the final act shows the aftermath of tragedy. Each act can be defined as its own storytelling tool, examining how the riots happened, what was done to the black population at the time and why it matters even today. For example, one scene follows The Dramatics band as they’re about to enter on stage to perform, only to be denied their chance as the riots become more intense. In one moment, the film summarises the sentiment African Americans had at the time, that feeling of having opportunities ripped away from them despite their passion. Much of the film is dramatized as there were few accounts of what took place at the Motel that night, but the film laces each part of its narrative with visceral performances. Once the second act centres on the Motel, it never turns away from the violence that takes place; it pins the action there and never relents.

The actors in Detroit do a superb job at portraying the two sides of the riots and their positions of power (or lack thereof) John Boyega plays Melvin Dismukes, a private security guard who aligns himself with the police and national guard; he does what he can to defuse the escalating situation but is often forced to stand by and watch. Boyega and the portrayals of other humbler servicemen work to deliver the more impactful moments of the narrative; in a barrage of hate and violence, the way some chose to act against it stick out the most. Caught in the middle of the chaos, the younger actors are often staggeringly emotive in the way they portray the victims. Algee Smith’s Larry Reed, the main singer of The Dynamics, captures a vivid and often heart-wrenching dehumanisation over the course of the film which really comes into its own in its film’s closing act. Treated no differently from the black victims, Hannah Murray and Kaitlyn Dever also capture the trauma of being caught in a heart-stopping situation seamlessly. On the opposite end, we have Will Poulter and Algee Smith as the police officers responsible for the sadistic interrogations; the loathsome way they dominate and antagonise African Americans caught up in the riots delivers a nerve-shredding tension that plants the audience firmly into their fear and desperation. From an intimidation standpoint, it reaches the same levels as R. Lee Ermey in Full Metal Jacket and J.K Simmons in Whiplash; anyone who sees Detroit will feel an immense disgust at their actions, which only grows as the incident rumbles on. There’s a look in their eyes (and sometimes in their superiors) that demonstrates the disdainful racism that ran rampant through the sixties.

The film’s rough subject matter is matched by its presentation; throughout the entire film the camera never sits still or lingers on one moment for too long, maintaining its feel as a pseudo-documentary with a few hints of real-world footage added in to anchor Detroit’s realistic setting. One technique comes in the first act; as the African American populous grows more angry and bitter at police brutality, the camera moves more quickly, cutting around more wildly to emphasise the explosion of violence that took place. The music by James Newton Howard works to pull the audience into both the central predicament and the Motown genre of the time. As Detroit reaches its final act, this personality and flair drains and the music dampens to an unenergetic low, symbolising the sense of tragedy and injustice that pervaded the lives of thousands.

Powerful and strikingly relevant, Detroit is another resonating effort from Kathryn Bigelow, whose steadfast commitment to framing history creates a film where intensity runs high and perspectives stand in stark contrast. It offers an intimate and often disturbing glimpse at one of the darkest chapters in American history.

Rating: 5/5 Stars (Exceptional)

American Made Movie Review

Released: 25th August 2017 (UK)

Length: 115 Minutes

Certificate: 15

Director: Doug Liman

Starring: Tom Cruise, Domnhall Gleeson, Sarah Wright, Jayma Mays, Jesse Plemons, Frank Licari and Caleb Landry Jones

Split between serious dramas and light-hearted efforts, adaptations of real stories often swap back and forth between these two focuses. American Made, the latest biopic to hit cinemas, once again takes a thorny subject matter and transforms it into a rapid-fire drama with a healthy helping of creativity.

Taking place in the late 1970s and eventually the eighties, Barry Seal (Tom Cruise) is an airline pilot who comes across a CIA agent named Schafer (Domnhall Gleeson), who tasks him with flying reconnaissance missions to assist in disrupting communist regimes in Colombia and Nicaragua. What starts as a straightforward way of making some extra money for his family turns into a massive operation with Barry pulling favours and winning approval from both sides of the drug and weapons trade. Staying almost entirely focused on the main character and his errands, it’s incredibly energetic, occasionally dipping into narration territory to frame the action. American Made is very much a rags-to-riches story, sharing the same over-the-top flair as last year’s War Dogs and Martin Scorsese’s The Wolf of Wall Street; as the pressure piles on and the number of contracts stack up, Barry finds himself bouncing between North and South America, barely managing to avoid the prying eyes of the law. This is where the film is at its most riveting, with a few slices of humour thrown in for good measure. Because of the singular focus on Barry and his exploits, American Made also takes a well-rounded look at the shady deals that went on behind the scenes, giving ample screen-time to both the US government, drug cartels and everyone in-between.

American Made’s characters are very simplistic, preferring to let the narrative and action deliver most of the engagement, occasionally to its detriment. Tom Cruise brings his charm to full effect here, being particularly great in the narrations where he throws in all his enthusiasm. Domnhall Gleeson is also good; there’s a definitive shift between his time in the offices and his interactions with Barry, working to hide their business from the public eye. Barry’s wife Lucy (Sarah Wright) is more grounded with more than a few difficult moments between the two. There’s little time dedicated to character development here as the film blasts from scene to scene, perhaps to mimic the speed of Barry’s air travel. His colleagues in the flying services he provides don’t have a lot to them and a certain character played by Caleb Landry Jones that shows up to hinder him halfway through doesn’t have much to do other than complaining and getting into trouble. Some of the characters and their relationships could have been developed a bit more to further deepen the plot, especially where the pressure from the authorities is concerned.

Doug Liman’s latest film makes use of a stylised look that blends seamlessly with the time period it’s set in; from the moment the Universal ident morphs into a retro eighties look, you know you’re in for a creative and dynamic production. The handheld camera shots are very close and intimate with only a few traditional mid-shots strewn about the runtime; you feel as if you’re with Barry on these errand jobs, feeling the weight of all these contacts asking him to manage all these different tasks at once. Add to that the real planes used in filming and the always impressive stunt work from Cruise and you have some often-edgy scenes in the air. The sequences that take place in Colombia and Nicaragua are tinted with a hazy yellow, emphasising the roasting heat Barry finds himself in. American Made also goes beyond this with a variety of cross-cuts; real footage, animations and infographics all used to convey its anchoring into real life events while the soundtrack features a range of period-piece tracks that not only ground the film but show off the extravagant lifestyle Barry ends up creating. The film is superbly shot and edited, meaning you’ll never grow tired of the action. You get the sense there was a real commitment to making American Made stand out from its contemporaries.

American Made is charismatic, clever and not afraid to barrel along at top speed; its basic characterisation is the only blemish against a wave of frenetic pacing and wonderful cinematography, a killer combo that propels it to become one of the most entertaining films of the year.

Rating: 4.5/5 Stars (Brilliant)

This War of Mine Game Review

Released: November 14th 2014

Developer: 11 Bit Studios

Publisher: 11 Bit Studios

Certificate: 18

Formats: PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, iOS and Android

Format Played: PC

In a games industry filled with action focused first-person shooters, there are very few titles that place their focus on portraying war in a realistic manner. This War of Mine takes the opposite approach from most studios, putting the player in the shoes of the innocent civilians who struggle to get by as the battles rage on outside.

Taking place in a bombed-out house in the fictional city of Pogoren, Graznavia, you’ll take control of up to 12 individuals as they hunker down and wait out the war until peace comes. Based on a random count, this could be anything between a month and eighty days. Each of the characters has their own background, whether it’s a cook forced to flee their restaurant or a child separated from their parents. Rather than traditional voice acting, the game instead relays the character’s feelings through diary entries that can change based on the situation they find themselves in. There are also many different endings, depending on the choices you make throughout the journey but this is only the base of how This War of Mine presents itself.

Everything about This War of Mine has been carefully crafted to create one of the most absorbing experiences you’ll see in modern gaming. Much like real war, the action is both unflinching and unpredictable. Scavenging for supplies in rubble, taking on solely charitable deeds and avoiding the attention of other survivors is immensely difficult and when you see the consequences of nastier actions, it’s often horrifying; at one point, I was forced to kill a resident of a larger apartment block after venturing too deep into their territory; the resident’s family poured into the room and dropped to their knees, begging them to wake up. The absolute despair and grief conveyed simply through atmosphere, text boxes and the sound of weeping led me to feel a sense of guilt that no other game has been able to accomplish. Time is an important commodity; without sufficient medical supplies, characters will take many days to heal from injuries and even longer to recover from a depressed or broken state. The trauma of conflict will cause characters to become unresponsive, even to the point of killing themselves if they feel they cannot carry on. Some may even leave if they feel the house isn’t safe anymore. If all the characters in the house leave or die, it’s final and you’ll have to start the survival journey over from the beginning; much like XCOM, there is no perfect playthrough; injuries, raids and deaths are common in a war-torn environment, especially on higher difficulties where resources are exceptionally rare. The Little Ones DLC (which donated all profits to the War Child charity) added children to the mix and they have their own set of considerations. They break down under pressure much more easily and will need comforting and a place to play very often, raising the emotional stakes even higher. With all the different actions and consequences, This War of Mine is highly replayable and the game was also open to modding for additional content.

If there’s any downside to the game, it’s that the scenarios are limited; the game always makes use of the same bombed out house and it’s very grounded in its original inspiration; the atrocities committed against civilians in the Bosnian War and the Siege of Sarajevo which took place between 1992 and 1996. The game may have struck a nerve had it included scenarios based on the more recent Syrian conflict or wars in Iraq and Afghanistan but it could have brought more attention to the struggles of civilians in those regions by diversifying its overall design.

This War of Mine is presented from a 2D ant-farm perspective; controlling each character is as simple as clicking on them then clicking again on the many different icons strewn about the environments which represent a variety of actions. Characters will clear debris, search for supplies (or steal them, depending on the location), cook meals, build and manufacture items and even comfort each-other amid disaster. In the day, you’ll be working to put meals together and rest up; occasionally you may also have a visitor to trade with, assist or even invite inside to survive with the others. But at night you’ll go out to scavenge; you’ll have to choose carefully here as there are many other survivors who will not hesitate to raid your shelter and take your supplies while you’re away. Whoever goes out to scavenge must use caution as you’ll never know who is friendly and who is hostile. While outside, your chosen scavenger will sneak by default; double clicking will make them move faster but this is noisier and may attract the attention of some unsavoury residents. On top of that, any scavenger will only have so much space in their backpack for food, supplies and materials. This is where the gameplay drastically deepens as there are many tactical decisions to make; do you take most of your valuables with you at the risk of losing them forever if your chosen scavenger is killed? Do you build more beds to provide a better sleep and healing from injuries or a small furnace to keep everyone warm? Playing This War of Mine is all about micro-management and making choices that will ultimately determine where the twelve characters will end up at the elusive ceasefire. It’s simple enough that anyone can pick it up but creates an often-unforgiving challenge.

Atmosphere is masterfully crafted in This War of Mine and it starts with the black and white filter; with all the colour drained out of the game the desolation of war and suffering is conveyed immediately. The music is slow and echoing which creates a haunting ambience. The locations are suitably foreboding with structures reduced to crumbling pillars and ruined architecture. The game accomplishes so much with a minimalistic presentation, conveying all the emotion with just a few tools; it envelopes the player fully into the horrors the characters are facing.

It could have been a bit bolder by spreading its themes across different conflicts but This War of Mine is a heart-wrenching, brutal and unrestrained depiction of war and the tragic consequences of those caught up in it. Anyone who sits down to play it will feel something and amidst all the mindless war games from the industry over the years, this is a superb achievement.

Rating: 9.0/10 (Brilliant)

The Dark Tower Movie Review

Released: 18th August 2017 (UK)

Length: 95 Minutes

Certificate: 12A

Director: Nikolaj Arcel

Starring: Tom Taylor, Idris Elba and Matthew McConaughey

Stephen King’s fiction has achieved many followings over the years, resulting in countless film adaptations that have reached varying success; following in the footsteps of The Shining, It, and Children of the Corn, The Dark Tower could well be the worst adaptation released in the author’s long ventures in writing.

In modern-day New York, young Jake Chambers (Tom Taylor) is plagued with mysterious visions of a tower, one which guards the realms of Earth and other dimensions from demonic forces of darkness. There are the Gunslingers who work to protect the tower and those who wish to destroy it using the minds of children, personified by the Man in Black (Matthew McConaughey). After heading into another dimension, Jake finds the Gunslinger (Played by Idris Elba) from his dreams and together they work to stop the forces of evil from laying waste to the titular structure. The Dark Tower commits the worst mistake a film adaptation can make; it poorly introduces every aspect of its fictional tale. Everything from the characters to the world they inhabit is just “there” without any sort of development or building. Without any effort to draw the audience in, The Dark Tower trudges along, never becoming interesting until the end. There’s a scene taking place in a village made vulnerable by the Man in Black’s around halfway into the film and instead of fleshing out the world, all it does it bring the film to a halt. This is the kind of adaptation that expects its audience to be familiar with the source material and haphazardly ploughs through the lore of its universe without any time for the audience to take it all in. It all rings so hollow that by the halfway point you’ll be disconnected from the proceedings completely.

The performances in The Dark Tower are almost completely flat, generally wasting the talent brought on board. We learn next to nothing about these characters so we don’t care about any of them. Jake is a blank slate with nothing interesting about him; even the central notion of his troubled childhood is meaningless because there’s no time dedicating to characterising it. Equally frustrating is the near complete lack of chemistry between Jake and his mother (Katheryn Winnick) which could have formed an emotional anchor.  Matthew McConaughey is horribly generic here, a villain whose finest quirk is running his mouth off about how scary his plan to destroy the tower is. Other pointless or underdeveloped side characters include Jake’s friend and the people of the aforementioned village scene. You simply don’t believe in any of the characters or their motives, making the plot even more uninvesting. The only redeeming actor here is Idris Elba who makes the best of the basic material given to him; while it’s all pretty cliched, he does a capable job of selling the roguish figure.

The visuals of The Dark Tower are mostly colourless and drained, but rather than working to sell a foreboding landscape they instead serve to highlight just how bland and lifeless the entire film is. The use of multiple dimensions could have created a unique identity for the film, but because it does nothing to distinguish the two locations apart from a few cosmetic differences the sense of immersion is lost. Its costume design is equally unimaginative with The Man in Black’s plain shirt and trousers being the worst offender. Many of the action scenes are too fleeting to make an impact and don’t contribute anything to the plot; for example, there’s one point where Roland and Jake are attacked by some unnamed computer-generated creature but it’s never referred to or mentioned ever again. At least the last action scene does feature some free-flowing, rapid-fire choreography, even if it has no investment or context; Elba blasts his way through the enemy while dual-wielding revolvers. Sadly, it’s probably the only time you’ll get into the film’s failed ambitions.

Outside of Idris Elba’s serviceable performance and a decent action scene near the end, The Dark Tower is a massive let-down. It’s easily one of the shallowest adaptations in a long time; one that just can’t make effective use of Stephen King’s wild imagination to create an enticing adventure. You’re better off sticking to the original literature.

Rating: 1.5/5 Stars (Bad)

Fargo Series Review (Season 3)

Released: May 31st 2017 (UK)

Created by: Noah Hawley

Number of Episodes: 10

Where to watch: Channel 4 (Netflix release likely to follow)

Starring: Ewan McGregor, Carrie Coon, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, David Thewlis, Goran Bogdan and Shea Whigham

Taking place across twenty years from 1996 to 2016, the Fargo series went beyond the original Coen Brothers film to provide a tremendously engaging anthology. For its first two seasons, it proved a near perfect fit for the small-screen but moving into more recent times, season 3 finds itself with a hard mountain to climb.

In modern-day 2010, Emit Stussy (Ewan McGregor) is a successful businessman with more than a few problems; A shadowy company who he borrowed money from some time ago now wants their investment back and his grudging brother Ray (Also played by McGregor) wants his share of the wealth, all the while being egged on by his devious fiancée Nikki Swango (Mary Elizabeth Winstead). From these feuds, a collection of awkward circumstances unfolds involving and a creepy visitor with false teeth and a penchant for blackmail and all the connected deaths and police investigations in-between. The unpredictable nature of the show is once again in full swing here, providing plenty of surprises across the ten episodes but there definitely some weaknesses for this third outing. The biggest problem though comes with episode 3, which moves the action away from Minnesota for the first time; it’s meant to be a diversion, a means to add detail to the crime story while building the strong female archetype the series has become known for. Instead it goes nowhere, which takes away from the otherwise engaging narrative. The ending also feels quite abrupt too, with a key character or two breaking off from the narrative completely.

Leading the proceedings with a dual performance, Ewan McGregor plays the brothers Stussy with very distinctive characteristics that set them apart and emphasise their feuding ways; Emmit is high and proud, calmly disdainful as he pushes his sibling down while Ray is rugged and uncaring, filled with an unending jealousy that pushes him beyond the boundaries of ethics. Mary Elizabeth Winstead brings a tomboyish sensuality to Nikki that ends up deceiving many characters throughout the season. David Thewlis as the antagonist (who I’ll leave you to discover on your own) is also brilliant, bringing a very slimy, repulsive presence to every scene he’s in. Sadly, when compared to previous seasons some of the other characters stick out for how underdeveloped they are. Carrie Coon’s Gloria Bungle, the main police officer this time around, just doesn’t have much to her as a character; she has that same grit and determination to see things through but not so much to set her apart from her predecessors. The same also goes for Chief Moe Dammik (played by Shea Whigam) who mostly exists to put Gloria down and tell her she can’t do one thing or another due to police regulations. This results in the characterisation being somewhat unbalanced here; you’ll still be rooting for Gloria just as you did for previous deputies Molly and Lou Solverson but the level of investment is undoubtedly lower.

Compared with the look of the nineties and seventies, Season 3’s modern day setting of 2010 features a very washed-out colour palette, almost signifying a disconnect with the technology driven society we live in today. Dull whites and greys permeate many of the office environments and the brighter backgrounds of the outdoor environments have been replaced with a dimmer, almost depressing look. This disconnect is further personified with Gloria’s tendency to run into technology that simply doesn’t work for her most of the time; it suggests an over-complication that technology has brought to modern life. Some of the more unique presentation techniques this time around include a symbolic narration by Billy Bob Thornton from the first season that really gets the audience into the characters and the roles they have to play. The costume work is very conforming and on the whole, there’s a very palpable tying in to today’s issues with references to off-shore accounts, back-room dealings and a bit of hacking here and there to ground the setting seamlessly. Fargo’s season 3 doesn’t have the brightest or most appealing look, but it makes effective use of it to create a distinctive look. 

It feels very unremarkable when compared to the seasons that came before but Fargo’s third season is still worth a watch. Most of the performances are still brilliant and the modern setting distinguishes itself with its intentionally drab look. The overall narrative and some main characters have taken a sizeable step backwards however and that’s a shame considering how strong the first two seasons were.

Rating: 3.5/5 Stars (Good)