PLOT: When past crimes lead DCI John Luther to face a prison sentence, he realizes that he has a new and deadly foe. Desperate to stop the madman, Luther escapes from confinement and ends up the hunter and the hunted with DCI Odette Raine hot on his trail.
REVIEW: If you tune into the upcoming Netflix feature film take on the critically acclaimed series Luther, you’re in for a treat. Luther: The Fallen Sun is everything that made the series compelling, yet it dives even further into disturbing territory. Gritty and violent as the series was, be prepared for what creator Neil Cross and director Jamie Payne do with an R-rating. The Fallen Sun goes into unsettling places. Luther has dealt with mobsters before, and psychopaths, but he finds someone perhaps even worse in the villain, David Robey (Andy Serkis). The film also introduces us to DCI Odette Raine, played by the stunning Cynthia Erivo.
After the disappearance of a young man, Luther is on the scene to investigate. He even promises the boys grieving mother that he will find out who did it. The psycho responsible, David Robey, is not keen on that. By digging into Luther’s past, Robey leaks information that lands the investigator in prison. After a daring escape, John Luther attempts to hunt down the monster targeting innocent people online. Desperate to solve the crime, the no-nonsense Raine attempts to track Luther while he searches for the killer. The two must work together under the most challenging obstacles to seek out the despicably crazed Robey.
If you’ve been a fan of the series, you’re in for an experience with this one. Having the ability not to limit itself, The Fallen Sun delves into an intensely frightening storyline. Early in the film, we see a sequence that – while not bloody – is horrific to watch. It’s a powerful image that would fit right into a features like the Saw franchise or Seven. Robey is a notable villain, and Serkis embraces his sickness in an extraordinary performance. The reveal makes his disturbed take all the more unnerving. The actor makes for a deadly foe against John Luther.
Taking the extended series and making it into single-story feature would make for an intelligent direction for this character. Fans of the previous seasons will find a few familiar faces. Yet if you haven’t learned what makes Luther tick, you’ll quickly get pulled into the action with The Fallen Sun. The standalone aspect presented is an excellent choice. It is one of the most twisted stories explored in the past seasons. First time viewers may miss a few details included in the creepy storyline. Thankfully, the intense nature of the crimes will keep you invested. There is legitimate tension spread throughout this two-hour film.
Idris Elba shined in the series opposite the incredible Ruth Wilson. He does the same here with his complicated relationship with DCI Odette Raine. And now, can I praise the incredible Cynthia Erivo? The two characters may take a while to cross paths here. Yet it ultimately makes for an edge-of-your-seat third act. Add to that the intensely scary evil-personified work from Serkis, and you have a cat-and-mouse game that satisfies. Luther goes to an unexpectedly grim territory this time, yet it’s all the more engaging thanks to the excellent work from the cast and the filmmakers.
Whether or not you are new to Luther, there is much to enjoy in this tense and atmospheric thriller. Elba, Erivo, Serkis, and the rest of the cast are terrific, and the nerve-inducing tension rarely lets up. You may find a few brief moments that feel a bit rushed, but it hardly detracts from the story. What you have here is a solid direction for the series to take. And giving it an edge with the R-rating makes for a vicious and brutal story with a memorable villain. With the upcoming Netflix premiere on March 10th, it will be well worth seeking this one out for its week in theatres beginning this Friday. Luther: The Fallen Son is as impressive visually as it is storywise and worthy of a big-screen viewing experience.