M - El hijo del siglo

A solid recommendation from me. I really enjoyed the flow, acting, action, and storytelling. I always find it fascinating how such a destructive force can rise to power-what forces support it, oppose it, and which ones get swayed, and why. The quality of the series is excellent. For me, it belongs in the same league as Der Untergang and Unsere Mütter, unsere Väter.

What makes this series particularly compelling is its exploration of the political landscape in Italy at the time. The power struggles between the socialists, the monarchy, and other factions add layers of intrigue, showing how different forces either resisted or enabled the rise of authoritarianism. The shifting allegiances and moral dilemmas make for gripping storytelling.

On top of that, the action sequences are intense and well-executed. The battles, street clashes, and political confrontations feel raw and realistic, adding weight to the historical events. The choreography, cinematography, and pacing of these scenes keep the tension high, making it a visually and emotionally engaging experience.

The header here is not my line but taken from when Mussolini sometimes bursts through the fourth wall and comments to the viewer. This was a superb attempt at capturing the rise of a chaotic man during one of the most chaotic periods of history.

Mussolini was flawed, selfish, vindictive and thuggish - and so very full of contradictions.

What this series perfectly captures is the influence of Margherita Sarfatti, his lover and his principal advisor. She coins the best line to describe his motivation and that of fascism 'Take what you want by any means.' This is both chilling and a warning from history... One reviewer here talks about how far fetched the story becomes - A Samurai ? Yes he featured in real life. He influenced Italian poets to introduce Haiku! However bizarre the story seems to be, much of what you see is really not that far fetched.

By now it is evident that in the Post-network era and when from the zenith the third Golden Age of Television began its inevitable downward parabola no one, including myself, would have expected such a product... especially an Italian one.

M the son of the century is the classic turn of the century, the breaktrough event or, if you like a film allegory better: it is the hero we need but do not deserve. The future of Our television, it is clear, blatant and unashamed that it will be defined by the 'Before M' and the 'After M'.

Beautiful, beautiful series. Monumental every performance. Ficcanti every dialogue. Generative storytelling from history and brought up to date, without ever becoming exhibitionist. A series one step away from hybris without ever crossing the thin line and, because of this, incredibly verisimilitude in its (deliberate) staging between the theatrical and magical realism.

A possible event, because there is a thick book behind it, not only of volume but also of historical research... but also (oh my God, finally!!!) an adequate budget. It matters little that some images are realistically dated in the staging. It doesn't matter. You want the real date? There's the book but in this instalment it was perfectly there.

A futurist Zang Tumb Tumb series like we've needed for a long time. Because, just like futurism, the last true and pure current of thought and artistic movement that since the publication of its manifesto in 1909 has not found to date a worthy new cultural vision that can be described as truly original and not a rinsing of dishes from other shores. This is M. The first of something else in the making that, los peri pernos, will be even more surprising and innovative.

Zang Tumb Tumb.

The english subtitles are a disaster. They look like automated translations not reviewed by someone who understand italian. For example "Margarita" (the name of a woman) is translated as "margarita pizza". Or "No, no" is translated "ninth", because in italian "nono" means "ninth".

Sometimes these bugs don't help comprehension. They mix up pronouns: "They kick it out" instead of "They kick him out". They don't take into account the formal you that in italian is she. For some complex sentences there is no analysis done by a human : "his husband".

An amateur job done by incompetents.

Such a magnificent work deserves better.

For those who have any interest in history, politics, and lessons on human nature, this is the show for you. Seeing the rise of Mussolini in such a way - with Luca Marinelli frequently breaking the fourth wall to speak to us, his audience - keeps it captivating and really holds up to the meta spectacle of his character. Despite the seriousness of the topic, the biting sarcasm and amusing moments keep it entertaining, too. Of course, for anyone who's been following the recent global rise in certain political trends, they'll undoubtedly feel a little uneasy when recognizing the patterns in today's day and age. An impressive production, Luca Marinelli's portrayal of the famous Italian dictator is downright stupendous. A wholehearted recommendation to watch and be amazed by M - Son of the Century.