8/10

Being a fan of Refn ever since I saw Drive and his last series Too Old To Die Young, which is my favourite of his works so far, at least out of the five I’ve seen, I was seriously hyped for this one. 

Considering the glacial, slow burn pacing coupled with surrealist symbolism in Too Old To Die Young, I was expecting something similar with this. Whilst tonally very similar to those two, it felt more conventionally made by contrast, at least as far as the pacing is concerned, though still always patient and never rushed. 

The criticisms expressed by critics towards this are pretty much the same as before, which I certainly sympathise with and wonder about myself, but don’t share for the most part. Refn is one of the leading contemporary directors in arthouse film who is also one of the most divisive, surpassed only by fellow Dane auteur Lars von Trier in that regard.

If there are two common dismissals from critics that come to mind when I think of Refn’s work it would be “pretentious” and/or “style over substance”. Whilst not being any more of a fan of the former, it is easier to make a stronger case for it I’d say. However “style is substance”, especially in the of medium film, is one I take more issue with. Where it would be valid is that through the glamour and showy techniques of the filmmaking style, the lack of substance and depth is able to be disregarded and focused away from. 

Being the very stylish and slick director Refn is, even though Drive is still his only hit film to date, he would naturally be the perfect target for this criticism. Yet in every work of his I’ve seen, significant and deeply profound questions relating to the issues of modern, or postmodern if you like, society and moral issues are addressed. Whilst certainly based in the genres of thriller and neo-noir, it seems to me Refn is increasingly seeking to transcend the conventions and limitations genres can potentially impose. 

What he lacks in a narrative focus, or one that is conventionally structured at least and risks becoming convoluted, he more than makes up for in patient, very artfully shot and meditative filmmaking. Both the set and costume design as well as the overall style are superbly executed, ranking among the best I’ve ever seen in television and are significantly above average of most contemporary ones I’ve seen, including those that are more critically acclaimed. 

As much as I am increasingly more wary of labels, “magical realism” feels like a much more appropriate genre tag of this work than “neo-noir thriller”. Near the end of Too Old To Die Younger supernatural and spiritual themes are strongly hinted at through Jena Malone’s character Diana, complementing the already very meditative and dreamlike overall aesthetic and tone the show has.

This is built upon here through the character of Miu, the now familiar, enigmatic and reserved archetypical Refn character developed by his muse Ryan Gosling, who for me surpasses him as my favourite of Refn’s characters. Her possession of supernatural powers causes those around her to treat her as a kind of human good luck charm, first by Rosella, the matriarch of a family of Eastern European sex traffickers, and later Mr Chiang, supposedly a leader of a triad group, who, have taken hostage the daughter of Chinese restaurant owner Mother Hulda, who makes Miu’s acquaintance when she escapes Rosella’s home after murdering the later by trapping her in place after burning it down.

In between these various acquaintances of the Copenhagen crime underworld Miu makes, including too a criminal lawyer Milosz when she starts dealing drugs to acquire money for Chiang, there is an ongoing feud between her and a similarly enigmatic, sinister almost Aryan looking Dane, Nicklas, who in the beginning of the series coldly murders a woman whose spirit Miu later connects with. Nicklas resides in a nearby mansion owned by his strange, prurient parents, including his phallic obsessed father and mother he has an almost Oedipal relationship with.

Apart from a fight between Miu and Nicklas that leaves the latter seriously injured and disabled, that is the extent of their interaction, which feels somewhat anticlimactic considering he’s set up as the main antagonist. However we are rewarded with a final showdown between Miu and Chiang. Beyond that we are left with a cliffhanger, with what appears to be a battle between Miu and other women in identical blue tracksuits and one in red (Nicklas’ sister I think). The final scene is of a video call between Hideo Kojima, his only cameo, with Milosz where they are reflecting on their situation and where Kojima gives advice to Milosz on how to he can survive. 

All things considered I still prefer Too Old To Die Young over this. Drive to me, and most others it seems from the popularity it received, remains arguably Refn’s most focused and strongest work, at least by the standards of more conventional filmmaking and narrative. However his following works, including this, is where he is able to flourish in his creativity in experimentation, which may not be as coherent overall, but feels more daring, immersive and richer, both emotionally and cinematically. For this reason it’s always hard for me to pick a favourite within his filmography, and I often come away from his films feeling somewhat lukewarm or hungry for more, but always satisfied with it’s strengths, that set a standard of filmmaking that television somewhat lacks, and even if it is just me and fellow Refn fans who watch it, I am still very grateful for that.

Added to Nicolas Winding Refn ranked