Quite honestly one of the most absurd hours of television I've ever witnessed & neither am I really clear about what to even make of it... In fact I genuinely doubt if I'll ever be able to fully comprehend or summarise my feelings concisely - or with any certainty & conviction - as I'm not really sure what I've actually just watched.
Yet despite making this introductory confession, I'll at least *attempt* to complete the task of forming a coherent review, though I can't promise I'll be successful in my endeavours. My mind is still recovering from this wild acid trip... And what a unique journey we were taken on!
So first thing's first, it goes without saying but this is without a doubt the most unapologetically "Marc Munden" episode of TV I've ever witnessed by legendary director Marc Munden; each & every frame of his carefully considered shots just ooze the striking distinctiveness that's synonymous with his impressive visual style - which we've grown to associate with his filmmaking over the years - & true to form, he really delivers with his final installment for the show. Hence, our lead, Sam's desperate fight for survival is captured through a relentless series of kinetic handheld shots - grounding the audience in the midst of it by conveying as much information as possible through a first person perspective, effectively immersing us directly in the chaotic action by making the camera an unseen character in & of itself, running alongside the protagonist, helping the viewers to feel as though they're just as trapped on the island as Jude Law's is, ensuring we sense the physicality of these moments; the twigs scratching against us as he runs through the bushes & the sea additionally washing over us as he struggles to stay afloat; we're just as muddied & bruised as his body becomes as he wades through the dirt & the murky waters. The articulated cinematic language really does fulfill its purpose here masterfully & movements are beautifully inventive & composed by cinematographer Benjamin Kracun, repainted by a masterful colourist & then edited together by his trusted editor Dan Roberts, further enhanced afterwards by the chilling, understated soundtrack scored by Cristobal Tapia De Veer - who haunts us with his atmospheric music throughout. There's something so familiar about Marc's work - yet it's something equally so ethereal & dissimilar from any other director currently operating within the industry; the real embodiment of what it means to be a visionary - as clichéd & overused as that word's currently become - he is a living example of what it's intended to mean. As a result, I have to concede it feels more like a technical accomplishment the crew should be proud of - rather than an achievement for the writer or his storytelling.
Therefore, we have to address the execution of the plot & this is where it gets messy; so insistent on crafting a meticulous, frenetic escape from the nightmarish island within the opening couple of minutes of Episode 3, the slow-burn narrative from 1 & 2 seems to have ignited in to an uncontrollable raging house fire far too quickly, dialing up the momentum & the stakes considerably from the predecessors until audiences are left with a painful case of whiplash & severe burns (& probably a few nettle stings too) from the noticeable immediate increase in velocity - which can seriously feel quite overwhelming, as if those involved in the HBO season lost sight of their original intentions & overhauled the planned 3rd outing for something more simplistic, primal & sensory. Moreover, the gnarly, experimental approach of this week's outing is guaranteed to be very divisive - though you have to admire the creators for their sheer bravery of pursuing this insane (expectedly niché) concept with absolutely no perceptible restraint or trepidation. If it's not bold, it's not Dennis Kelly. That's obvious already. Admittedly, it is hardly an original tale unfortunately but the feral way in which it's told certainly is. Think Christopher Nolan's Dunkirk but with less aircrafts & more wild creative choices which imitate the frenzied, paranoid perceptions of reality one may experience if they're on dangerously high doses of strong hallucinagenics.
To his credit though, Dennis Kelly makes his return to TV known & considering how "The Third Day" is a set of 2 individual stories which relate to one another, the completion of the preliminary tale sets a high standard to beat with the 2nd ominous visit to Osea. I haven't a clue what to expect from this point onwards though... Could it be any more odd or abstract? I'm skeptical.
