Dark Review: Utterly captivating; beautiful
The Netflix original Dark came to be a pleasant and unsuspected surprise. A german show that takes the Stranger Things-like genre and creates something very unique with it.
Dark is about time travel. A small town deep within the forests of Germany that is victim to a strange occurrence in which every 33 years, a child appears to go missing; although this time, things are a bit too familiar for some, and they curiosity unveils a much stranger series of events than expected.
Taking place in 2019, 1986, and 1953, Dark unwinds its narrative in a peculiar fashion in which each of the characters discover hidden truths in their pasts. Their discoveries are their own, but for the viewer they begin to shed light on a complex web of lies, deceit, and time.
Sticking true to its name, Dark isn't there to be a fun adventure. It's riddled with gloom and sadness; with loss and strange conspiracies. Its cinematography mirrors the eeriness and emotion of a cursed town, with some truly beautiful shots of the gloomy forest that holds truths just waiting to be found. It gives off a feeling that the forest itself is a prison to the town, that outside of this town there is nothing, and they are damned and reduced to this terrifying ordeal that takes place every 33 years.
With its cinematography absolutely stunning, the show's cast and writing are just as special. Its characters are truly terrible people, but far from unlikable from a viewer's perspective. It's as if the characters are stuck in purgatory, as they slowly uncover their reasons for being punished, and we're sat watching them in their epiphanies. The writing takes you on a journey in which you never feel as if the show is slowing down; as if you are always learning of something new, and it's such a thrilling and captivating ride throughout.
Everything in Dark is beautifully entwined into a truly excellent piece of cinematic bliss. Its narrative is unique, its cinematography artistic, and its score pulsates deep into your bones. Do not miss it.