Evaluate: 1899

“1899” begins aboard the Kerberos, a steamship certain for America. After a cryptic nightmare which will have been extra of a reminiscence than a dream, the present’s protagonist, Maura, wakes up aboard the ship. She reads a letter despatched from her brother, who she believes was aboard the Kerberos’ sister ship, the Prometheus, which was misplaced at sea six months in the past. 

One among Netflix’s most up-to-date sequence, “1899” handles its massive forged fairly nicely. As this ship is carrying round 1500 individuals from Europe to New York Metropolis, there’s a large assortment of nationalities onboard. British, German, Danish, Portuguese, Chinese language, Polish and French passengers are all key characters, and a few primarily communicate their very own languages. Every character is extra sophisticated than they appear at first. The present maneuvers the problem of language limitations impressively, offering compelling backstories and emotional payoffs all through the season.

“1899” instantly begins sneaking in particulars that power its viewers to query what’s actuality and what’s not –– particulars which solely intensify because the story unfolds. The Kerberos’ captain, Eyk, receives a message that might solely have been despatched by the misplaced Prometheus, given the sign’s energy. The captain diverts course to seek out the Prometheus, a lot to the frustration of all aboard except for Maura. Upon finding the misplaced ship, the crew finds it utterly empty, except for one small boy trapped in a cabinet that refuses to talk a phrase about what has occurred. Stranger nonetheless, they discover the Prometheus’ communication expertise broken past restore, begging the query of who despatched the misery message. 

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This era piece could be very nicely made on a technical degree. The insides of the ships really feel very actual, which is nice, as they’re the primary setting for a lot of the story. Each scene on the deck is equally convincing. On clear days the sky is breathtaking, and through unfavorable climate it’s clear how harmful a spot the ocean will be. Including spectacular camerawork onto that, this present doesn’t wrestle to seize the spectator’s consideration.

The place “1899” does falter is its ending. The ultimate episode feels rushed when in comparison with earlier episodes. On a rewatch, some questions additionally go noticeably unanswered, however the last twist does depart room for a second season, which means that extra could also be explored later. 

The present’s greatest strengths are the characters and the sluggish, ominous unraveling of its thriller. Whereas not likely a horror sequence, the stress of the circumstances the characters discover themselves in will maintain viewers’ consideration for the present’s eight one-hour-long episodes. Though there’s a large twist on the finish, the present is at its finest when slowly pushing its forged in the direction of an unsure conclusion. “1899” is extra in regards to the journey than the vacation spot, in additional methods than one. 

These prepared to learn subtitles and sit by means of the sluggish burn of the primary episode or two because the present establishes its characters and plot will discover themselves captivated by this voyage that’s not what it appears.