Bodies review: a new series on the notes of the great thrillers

We don’t believe it yet either, but it’s true. Netflix has created a miniseries, of just 8 episodes, which takes us back in time, when the large streaming platform produced an unprecedented product like Dark or more recently 1899. Con Bodies, the “big N” brings a dystopian thriller into vogue, in which crime and time are the protagonists. It’s been a long time since we’ve seen products that can keep us in suspense until the end. Precisely those products in which nothing is as it seems, in which the detail meticulously captured with a zoom in makes the difference. Those series where if you get distracted for a second on the phone it’s over. Here, Netflix has given us Bodies, a little gem that we sincerely hope will be self-contained and which we will tell you about today in this review signed by MovieBlog.

Bodies Review: Plot and characters

London, July 2023: a murder, a body and a killer. Four detectives try to solve the mystery, transcending the limits of space and time. 1890,1941,2023 and 2053. These are the narrative lines on which the story unfolds. In 2023 the Detective Shahara Hassan (Amaka Okafor) finds a naked and lifeless body near Longarvest Lane, thus begins the case to solve. Everything seems to be going on as usual, with a case to solve and a killer to identify. It’s a shame that there is very little order, especially on a space-time level. So much so that the Detective Whiteman (Jacob Fortune-Lloyd), il Detective Hillinghead (Kyle Soller) e la Detective Maplewood (Shira Haas) find the same body, with the same characteristics, in 1941, 1890 and 2053 respectively. How is this possible?

Bodies: the high concept that convinces (almost everyone)

The criticisms suffered by this series are different, especially for the slightly disappointing ending (which we won’t spoil without worry). What is certain is that one characteristic is common to all these reviews. Bodies is in fact a High Concept focused on its own plot, to the detriment of the characterization of the characters, but with protagonists perfectly hidden in the role. Based on the comic by “Si Stephens” the series retraces this script in just 8 episodes (50 minutes each), which in fact require little space to best characterize each of the protagonists. It is also true, however, that the excellent performances of the actors immediately make it clear who we are in front of and, especially in the case of Detective Hillingheadwhat their fears and feelings are.

With cinematography perfectly adapted to the eras and scrupulous attention to detail in moving from one moment to the next, Bodies remains, despite some flaws, a great Netflix product. Thanks to the use of an omnipresent and perfectly themed soundtrack, the spectator is accompanied in a crescendo of emotions without ever leaving him alone and always in the throes of frenzy. Considering the fact that the main objective was to keep the viewer glued to the screen and push him to binge watch, the series succeeds in its primary intent. Also because when you go to work and can’t think of anything other than the plot of that series, what happened and how it could all be possible, the objective is fully achieved.

Bodies: excellent work with some minor flaws

There are few products Netflix that glue you to the screen and perfectly insert a plot twist after another when you least expect it. When you think you understand but in reality the only thing you know is that you haven’t understood anything, you are faced with a compelling product and, despite those reviews that claim otherwise, a real gem.

However, there are some observations to be made, and for this reason the little gem remains a bit of a rough diamond. Besides the fact that after half mink, as in 1899, we have already understood almost everything, the problem is basically one: the ending is a bit predictable, but it concludes the story perfectly, giving it a complete sense without leaving plot holes. And be careful dear readers, because it is not at all easy to create a series with time jumps and time travel as if it were daily bread, without leaving errors and traces behind. We do not give examples here, but we assure you that they are there. What is certain is that Bodies is not that immense masterpiece that we have been waiting for for years, also because these 8 episodes have been defined as six seconds of Dark (cit.) but guys, if you are looking for similar products we apologize for the brutality, it is clear that you are wasting your time. There’s no point in making comparisons.

Despite some defects therefore, Bodies achieves its goals with excellent marks, that’s for sure. And to those who are not yet convinced we simply reply that when a product, which makes the complicated plot its weapon, remains impressed even after time without making us angry about the details, there is little to say it is an excellent job.