Snake Island: A Gripping Melodrama Where a Dark Secret From 17 Years Ago Comes Back to Haunt
I recently stumbled upon a melodrama called 'Snake Hour' on the online cinema 'Ivi'. It was a pretty random find, but I'm glad I gave it a shot.
The story revolves around Varvara, a young woman who moves to Moscow with her son Sasha after her divorce. She meets a German guy and is offered a chance to move to Germany, but to get permission from her ex-husband, she heads back to her hometown. Initially, she plans to leave quickly, but her partner, Pavel, is hesitant to give his consent, so they end up staying. While exploring the town, Sasha goes out with Pavel's daughter, and she goes missing. The police suspect Sasha, but Varvara is convinced her son had nothing to do with it. Now, she has to revisit her past and uncover some secrets to clear her son's name.
The characters in this melodrama are well-developed and complex. Varvara is an operation room nurse who's kind, caring, and pleasant to be around. Anastasia Sorokina delivered a fantastic performance in this melodrama, bringing depth and emotion to the character. Sasha is Varvara's 17-year-old son who's often misunderstood by others. One of his classmates describes him as strange and aggressive, but in reality, he's a complex character. I didn't always understand him, but the actor did a great job in portraying Sasha's struggles with his condition and his efforts to cope with it.
Jürgen is a German guy who's smitten with Varvara. He's a bit awkward, but he's willing to bend his principles for her. He's a likable character who seems to be a good guy in real life. Pavel is Sasha's dad and Varvara's ex-husband, who's now got his own family. He's a character, and how Varvara used to love him back in the day! For me, though, he was never that impressive, neither as a young guy nor as an adult. Although, the actor playing him, Alexander Lymarev, is really good - I don't often see him in leading roles.
Varvara's school friend, Svetlana, is a wealthy girl who looks like a total opposite of Varvara. I even got the feeling that Svetlana might be a bit jealous of her friend. It was interesting to see how they'd interact as adults. What had Svetlana become now? I have to admit, I wasn't too impressed with Ekaterina Radchenko at first. But then I changed my mind! She plays her role really well, conveying emotions in a very believable way.
Kirill is Varvara's classmate who was in love with her back in school. He's just so positive and nice. I watched him and felt sorry for him. And he was way more into Varvara than Pasha was! He's a lawyer now and works as a police officer in his hometown. Just as charming as ever, he is. I watched him and thought, 'He's definitely going to figure this whole thing out.'
I loved how the characters were developed in this series. There are so many interesting ones - brothers, loved ones, friends, neighbors. Each role is well-thought-out, and it seemed like there were no filler characters.
Special mention to the actors who played the young main characters: Polina Rezaeva (Varvara), Yuri Chush (Kirill), Nikita Shishkin (Pavel), Artem Gagarinov (Maksim), Alena Batyurina (Svetlana).
I really enjoyed watching 'Snake Hour'. When I saw that there were 8 episodes, I was a bit hesitant - should I keep watching? But it was -40 outside, so we just decided to go for it. And we didn't regret it one bit. The time flew by, and I was hooked - the storyline is engaging, intriguing, and sharp.
From the very start, the show hooks you in with its unfolding story, raising questions that pile up like a snowball. I have to admit, I never found myself getting bored, even with some moments that could've been trimmed. They didn't bother me, and I was fully invested in the story from start to finish. It's a rare case where the concept and execution both shine.
The show jumps between past and present, and while some of the past scenes can feel a bit too long, they still keep you engaged. They help you understand what happened in the main character's life years ago, and the events that unfolded were just as intense as the present-day ones. You also get a sense of who's related to whom and how they feel about each other.
The color correction on past scenes is subtle, and most scenes include a timestamp to let you know when they're set. I loved how the show is visually presented - it's well-thought-out and realistic. The family's living situation is consistent with their financial status, which is a common mistake in other shows. The music is also pleasant, not overpowering or distracting.
I thoroughly enjoyed watching 'Snake Hour'. It's not just a melodrama, but a gripping, suspenseful melodrama with detective elements. If you're a fan of the genre, I highly recommend giving it a watch.