Luther: Soleil déchu

First off, the film: Unfortunately the first half felt very uninspired... I'd seen all of this a million times before... It may have worked with a director who was willing to take more risks.... That being said, the second half becomes much more intense and grand scale and I was fully immersed. Overall I'd give it a 7.5....

Buf thanks to Netflix, I'm dropping it to a 6 for its terrible theatrical release... There were random unrelated subtitles plastered on the screen and layered on top of each other... And thanks to that, when there was non English speaking going on, we had no idea what they were saying... When I complained to the theatre staff, they said it was Netflix and they had nothing to do with it... So really impressive, Netflix....

With all the rumours about Idris Elba replacing Daniel Craig as 007, it looks like he decided to take matters into his own hands and make his own anyway.

This is an action packed, high octane, ridiculously contrived and formulaic James Bond rip-off. Our indestructible hero even has a go at blowing up the underground lair of Dr Evil's more evil brother. The plot possibly doesn't quite reflect the job description of a typical DCI in the London police force but nevertheless it's insanely exciting edge of the seat stuff. The plot might not be super-original or indeed that thought provoking but it extremely well made and thoroughly entertaining.

Looking forward to the next one!

I have but one thing to say: Police divers.

There is a plot convenience towards the end of this film that seems...well...totally stupid. In fact, there are several plot elements throughout the film that are ludicrous. But regarding the aforementioned 'convenience' in the third act; we see the police travelling, via helicopter, to an unknown snowy region to affect an arrest. Why would a last minute, 'time is of the essence', tactical operation in the snow have already geared up police divers?? In the snow? In helicopters? In wetsuits? It hurt my brain.

I have no issue with the occasional plot 'convenience' in order to propel the story forward, but this film takes tremendous liberties that insult the viewers intelligence. It seems lazy and ultimately does a disservice to our protagonist.

Having said all of this, it's still a watchable film. The first act is by far the strongest and most investing, whilst the second and third are serviceable, if not bloated - the film was 30 minutes too long. Our antagonist also lacks any realistic, discernable motivation. Andy Serkis is menacing and creepy in some scenes, whilst being laughably 'unmenacing' in others. I struggled to buy into his criminal 'genius' as well as his physicality in the fight scenes. Speaking of which, some of the fights are well choreographed and executed (particularly the prison scenes), whilst others look and feel fake.

All things considered, it's a solid if slightly forgettable outing for Luther. Elba is fantastic, as always, but is let down by a loose script.

Not on the level of the Luther series and it does have its absurd moments but don't all police procedurals? Idris Elba is awesome as usual and Cynthia Erivo is a wonderful addition to the cast. I think the casting was inspired, even if the story was borderline absurd. It is a clear set up for additional stories about Luther and I look forward to more Luther films or a continuation of the very good series this film is based on. I don't get the hating on this film. It's not nearly as good as the series but it's better than some people are giving credit for. It's worth the little under 2 hours of your time.

Luther: The Fallen Sun is a Netflix film that serves as a continuation of the BBC series Luther, starring Idris Elba as John Luther, a brilliant but troubled detective who breaks out of prison to hunt down a serial killer. While fans of the show might be excited to see Elba reprise his iconic role, they will likely be let down by this film's lackluster plot, weak villain and wasted potential.

The film suffers from a lack of originality and suspense, as it recycles many elements from previous seasons of Luther, such as Luther's relationship with Alice Morgan (Ruth Wilson), his former partner Justin Ripley (Warren Brown) and his new ally Angela Rose (Cynthia Erivo). The serial killer, played by Andy Serkis, is a cartoonish and unconvincing antagonist who has a vague motive and an unrealistic plan. The film also fails to explore Luther's character development or moral dilemmas, instead relying on clichés and contrivances.

The only saving grace of this film is Idris Elba's performance, which is still charismatic and compelling despite the weak material. He manages to convey Luther's inner turmoil and determination with subtlety and intensity. However, even he cannot elevate this film above its mediocrity. Luther: The Fallen Sun is a disappointing return for one of TV's most complex and captivating detectives.