BBC crime drama "Luther" quickly succumbed to cinematic ambitions, with Idris Elba playing the sleuthing detective. What started out as a relatively bland police series set in crime-ridden London became more and more absurd as it progressed. In season five, Luther deals with a killer in a clown mask who shoots nails at people. Luther: Fallen Sun , the revival of the feature-length Netflix series, seems very logical. The budget has increased significantly. Andy Serkis and Cynthia Eriva flew in from Hollywood to support. And they tend to be funny, genuinely funny thrillers like this one.
Burning Sun doesn't sound like a Bond audition for Elba, who had to fend off rumors this week again that he's the next 007, but it does offer a good shot at being the next Batman. Here is a neo-noir London, drenched in constant rain and more decadent Soho than real life. There is no indication that all media professionals want a quick joe and juice. For director Jamie Penn, who directed several installments of the series, this is a film with a lot of character. When it first came out this year in 2010, no one saw it for Luther .
While the main antagonist of the original show might have been Ruth Wilson's murderous Alice Morgan, Luther's Joker, here we have David Robbie (Serkis), a determined con artist. He's a ruthless technical genius with the blond hair of Siegfried and Roy, who kills Seven's assassins in a way he's proud of. Investigate crime scenes by wearing a funny digital mask and looking out the window Oh, and he likes to sing loudly in his car without getting hurt because that's what villains do.
Robbie's goal is loosely focused around the concept of shame. He uses an army of hackers to spy on people via webcams and Alexa, then digs up their dirty secrets before sending them away. He hates the hypocrisy that allows brutality and violence to dominate some areas. Luther creator Neil Cross, who also wrote the film's screenplay, thought Luther would change the story to touch on a tough, vigilante approach to police work. Are there forces that encourage the police to see themselves as judges, magistrates and enforcers? But in reality, the answer to that question could mean the eternal end of Luther , so The Setting Sun awkwardly avoids the consequences of its own premise.
However, we don't have to question Luther's place in the world if we don't want to, because it's all a comic book. The main draw here, as always, is Elba. He has always managed to play people who have lost everything and are still angry when they find what they expected. The real trick was to love and support even the worst people. The fifth season ends with Luthor going to prison for various violations of the law. Surprisingly, there is a dramatic prison break in the film. Elba punches and kicks his comrades at will. DSU's Martin Schenk as Dermot Crowley and Erive counterintelligence operative Adette Raine as the tough guys provide the necessary response with sadistic respect for Luther's affections.
In Heart of the Setting Sun, there is no real revelation for the main character or those he cares about. Here's what you'd expect from Luther on the big screen, right in the Arctic environment, where our hero dons a shirt, tie and fur with a herringbone. I expected nothing less from him.
Director: Jamie Payne. Cast: Idris Elba, Cynthia Eriva, Andy Serkis, Dermot Crowley, Jess Ludin. 15,123 minutes.
Luther: Fallen Sun opens in select theaters on February 24th and will be available on Netflix on March 10th.
