Hello!
I stumbled upon the trailer for the mini-series 'The North Water' with Colin Farrell and was immediately drawn in because I'm a huge fan of anything set in England during that era, and whaling is a topic that really fascinates me (I immediately thought of a good film with Chris Hemsworth and Tom Holland on the same theme). Plus, I love Colin Farrell and adapted stories, so that played a role too.
The North Water▶ GENERAL INFORMATIONThe British mini-series 'The North Water' was released on July 15, 2021.Total of 5 episodes, but only the first 3 are currently online.Average runtime of each episode is around 55 minutes.The series is based on the novel of the same name by Ian McGuire (the book was released in Russian under the title 'In the North Water')
Genre: drama, detective
IMDb ratings: 7.9
The North Water mini-series▶ EPISODE BREAKDOWN | MY IMPRESSIONS AFTER WATCHING→ Series description:
England, 1850s. Former military surgeon Patrick Sumner signs up as a ship's doctor for a whaling expedition to the Arctic. On board, he meets Henry Drax - a harpooner and ruthless killer. Hoping to escape the horrors of his past, Sumner finds himself on a disastrous journey with a psychopath-killer, and the search for redemption turns into a fight for survival in the Arctic wilderness.
→ Characters / Brief description / Plot
So, we have a few key characters - there's surgeon Patrick Sumner.
Watering Hole Reviews I have to admit, I was hooked from the very beginning. The main character's got some baggage from his past, and it's eating away at him. He's trying to make amends for something, so he joins a whaling expedition in the Arctic as the ship's doctor. On board, he meets Henry Drax (Colin Farrell).
Colin Farrell in The North Water I didn't recognize the actor at first, but I rarely do in movies because they either heavily gash him up or he changes his physical appearance for the role. In this case, he's clearly put on some weight for the part. Drax is an enigma. At the beginning of the first episode, we see him as a bit of a cocky, arrogant guy, and in the synopsis, they even describe him as a 'psychopathic killer.' But what are his motivations for being on the whaling ship? That's where the real story begins. The crew heads to the Arctic, and that's when things get really interesting. Secrets start to surface, but the main mystery is still unsolved.
The North Water 2021 Reviews → Development / Storytelling / Pacing I liked the measured pace of the storytelling. The plot didn't rush into things from the get-go, but that didn't take away from the experience. However, as we got closer to the second episode, I found myself getting a bit bored. Not much was happening, and I started to question the quality of the show. But the third episode turned everything on its head.
That's when things really started to get interesting.
Mini-series Northern Waters 2021→ Intrigue / PredictabilityI'm still on the edge of my seat, and I have to admit, I'm hooked. I'm not sure what's going on with this ship or what their plan is (I don't want to give too much away, but let's just say the third episode ended on a cliffhanger, and I'm desperate for more!),
Northern Waters ReviewPredictable? Yeah, there was one moment where it was pretty clear who was to blame, but they kept throwing us (the viewers) off the scent, making us think it was someone else's fault. I was getting frustrated with the red herring, but thankfully, it all got resolved quickly. As for the main storyline, I have no idea where it's going or how it's all going to play out for the main characters!
→ Music and Cinematography / Filming
The cinematography is absolutely stunning, with these mind-blowing shots that left me speechless!
Northern Waters SeriesThe atmosphere is incredible, transporting you straight into old England and then the freezing Arctic from the very first minute!As for the music, I barely even noticed it, because I was so captivated by the other sounds that I love in these kinds of shows: the creaking of old shipboards, the thud of heavy boots on those boards, the thud of doors, even the sound of a heavy glass being placed on an old table – it's all so realistic, like you're right there on the ship with me!
Northern Water 2021 Review The only downside is the excessive darkness. Everything shot inside the ship or other rooms was dark and barely distinguishable, under a dimly lit glow. Sometimes it got to the point where I couldn't even make out people's faces on the screen... → Drama / Brutality
It's not just people who will face brutality - the animals will too. I was genuinely disturbed watching those poor seals and whales get killed. Those moments weren't shown in graphic detail, but they still dedicated a lot of time to making us feel the brutality of humans.
Northern Water→ FinaleI have no idea how this mini-series will end, but the finale of the third episode set a massive tone that I'm not patient enough for! You can tell that from the fourth episode onwards, it'll be a genuine thriller that sends us to survival books like Frostbite. 5 Months on the Ice in Greenland. Mitchell Zuckoff or The Everest Disaster. I'm eager to see something similar, and I probably will. Plus, the mysteries surrounding the ship's crew, particularly the one played by Farrell, are still unclear, and I'm curious to see how it all unfolds.
Speaking of books, it was impossible not to think of Herman Melville's classic Moby-Dick while watching this series.
▶ VERDICT
I have to say, the series hooked me from the very first minute - it's got a great atmosphere. However, at some point, the storyline starts to drag (around the second to third episode), but it picks up again towards the end of the third episode and I found myself completely engaged. I'm confident that it'll only get better from here, so I'm already giving it a full five-star rating!
Northern Water 2021☝ UPDATE
Unfortunately, after finishing the season, I have to say that I'm not blown away. For five episodes, the only really interesting one was the third, and after that, it started to feel like a slog again. Yes, there were some interesting moments, but they were few and far between, and got lost in the dialogue. It's just not what I was expecting. The finale was a total letdown, and it's ruined the whole experience for me, so I'm not giving it five stars - it doesn't deserve more than three.
xa0
Thanks for reading.
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