A human life in five episodes – the new Sky mini series with Jacob Elordi is relentless and sensitive.
The story of an intimate and tragic love. The story about unimaginable horror of war. And the story of a man who looks back on his eventful existence. It is astonishing: for what other productions sometimes need several seasons, they pack New mini series “The Narrow Road to the Deep North”The off July 1st at Sky You can see, skillfully in just five episodes. That may overwhelm a little at the beginning. A little later, it captivates all the more.
What was, what is – and what else is coming? That's what it's about
The young medical officer Dorrigo Evans (Jacob Elordi, 27) experiences up close what the war makes of humans. As a inmate of a Japanese prison camp during the Second World War, he witnessed unbearable atrocities. Together with other prisoners of war, he has to build the infamous Thailand Burma railway under the most adverse circumstances-it was no coincidence that she has been entered into the history books as the “Railway of Death”.
Only the memory of a special person gives him a little ray of hope in all the dark. But his love for Amy (Odessa Young, 27) is also not undisturbed: it is the wife of his uncle Keith (Simon Baker, 55), with whom he had a passionate affair years ago. One day he returns to his homeland as a war hero and rises there to the celebrated surgeon. But neither the experiences during captivity nor the unfortunate love for Amy let him come to rest.
A small initial hurdle has to be mastered
“The Narrow Road to the Deep North” is based on Richard Flanagan's bestseller of the same name, which was awarded the Booker Prize in 2014. The fictional story with a real background always jumps back and forth between three time levels and thus shows in an artistic way how significant experiences (positive and negative) shape a person inevitable.
At the beginning of the five -part series, it is not always easy to assign the three levels and their respective characters. But the deeper you immerse yourself, the clearer the relationships that seem confusing. Pleasant side effect: After episode five, many spectators should want to watch the series again.
No light food
For the first round, however, it should be noted: The mini series, written by Shaun Grant (“Mindhunter”) and staged by director Justin Kurzel (“Macbeth”), does not relieve the war crime. This increases the degree of reality, but also the degree of violence, which could bring some people to their limits.
In many ways, Australian production operates like the outstanding mini series “Chernobyl”, which can also be seen at WoW. Relentlessly and with the help of several jumps in time, the mini series only needs five episodes about the nuclear power accident to captivate its audience without lengths. “Chernobyl” also does not be stingy with frightening, sometimes hardly tolerable scenes, which still work for a long time afterwards.
The talented cast of “The Narrow Road to the Deep North” skilfully leads through the demanding action. Above all, Jacob Elordi (“Saltburn”) and the Oscar-nominated Ciarán Hinds (72, “Belfast”), both of whom embody the main figure in different age groups, carry the mini series on their acting shoulders. Also impressive: “The Mentalist” star Simon Baker, “The Order” actress Odessa Young and “Elvis” mimin Olivia Dejonge (27), who later represents Dorrigos.
From July 1st there will be “The Narrow Road to the deep North” exclusive to Sky and the Streaming Service WoW on call. The five 45 minutes long episodes appear every week. The series will be available from Sky Atlantic from July 29th.