The Narrow Road to the Deep North

I really wanted to watch this series. However, as seems to be a cinematography trope with some films and series these days, e.g. 'Nosferatu' I could not see the actors faces in a lot of the scenes as it's been colour graded with a dark hue that prevents me being able to see the nuances in the characters interactions. This artistic choice spoiled it for me. Does the darkness represent the lead characters ethical/moral struggles as complex multilayered people and the inhumanity and darkness of war and it's ongoing residue in their minds, probably, but I would have preferred to be able to see them struggling with these emotions. I tried really hard as the acting, set design and direction are striving towards something truthful and beautiful but ruined in my opinion by the cinematography. The actors commitment to their roles is admirable, however in search of truth the actors sometimes belong to the mumble, whisper my lines style that makes the dialogue unintelligible. Maybe it's my smart TV's inability to render it watchable, but I doubt it!

One of the hardest things I watched yet one of the best things I watched.

Do yourself a favour and press play. Photography is just alluring, poetic and yet so descriptive that you just can't look away. Storytelling is compelling and keeps you constantly engaged, its tragedy and mourning, and romance, and longing and suffering and friendship and companionship. All together, all at once.

Despite being a short series, you get to know every character in such a way that it becomes personal, you suffer with them, you laugh with them and you miss them when they are gone.

It's a shot straight to the heart but oh such a lovely one.

One of the best and the hardest show I have ever watched. I sat watching this with my father next to me telling me of the stories his father would tell him of working the Thai-Burma railway in those very conditions. I watch as he had tears telling me this was like a visualization of those very stories. The story was well written and the characters were all play so well. The cinematography was brilliant despite what other reviewers say, you felt as though you were there in that jungle and the soundtrack was haunting and will stick with you. It left me very shaken but was well worth the watch, would highly recommend but be warned it is very full on and doesn't shy away from brutality.

I agree with comments by other reviewers about the dark murky lighting on parts of the series. I know the intent is to create atmosphere but possibly taken too far. The three timelines were also a bit confusing especially as the two main female characters resembled each other in the early episodes. However, those are small quibbles. This is one of the better series I have seen. A compelling story which stays with you for a long time. The acting was superb. There are scenes which are difficult to watch because they are brutal. Not for the squeamish. An important time in history which poses questions relevant today.

Yes, this series suffered from a lack of lighting and nonlinear storyline, but for me these served to exentuate the enderlying tones of this dark story.

To those seeking entertainment, I cannot recommend this series. Knowing that it's grounded in actual events it was a painful experience to watch this pretty much from beginning to end. The cruelty, the suffering. No attempts were made here to sugar coat brutal realities or wrap them up nicely with a classic hollywood happy ending. But it is precisely this that made it so compelling and important tp watch.

I also appreciated that the main characters weren't wholly good or bad, but complex - as often is the case in life.

Bottomline: not for the fainthearted, and have a box of tissue nearby.