Midnight Sun

It is interesting to read those comments here on FilmBooster thanks to which I finally understood what viewers of detective shows consider to be quality: refined visuals and “original murders”. Viewers of classic episodic detective shows like Colombo are amateur investigators who enjoyed trying to solve the crime together with the detective or even a step ahead of the detective. But then along came dramatic detective series in which the murder was no longer the pivotal event, but rather a McGuffin that aids the characters in dealing with their relationships and personal dramas. Where true screenwriting qualities are concerned, the Danish series The Killing still ranks highly in this category, followed closely by the Icelandic Trapped. The creative duo of Mårlind and Stein gained international renown with The Bridge, in which they did not in any way enrich the frequently utilised yet, due to the difficulty involved with it, rarely well-executed concept. Instead of realistic characters, they came up with extreme opposites, which they inserted into an overwrought case with a perfect Bond-esque murderer, for whom every detail of his exceedingly convoluted plan turns out well. Thanks, however, to the superbly calibrated interaction of the central characters and the actors that portray them, this totally pulp premise worked and became a worldwide hit. If The Bridge stank to high heaven, yet still did an excellent job of attracting attention, then Midnight Sun is an utterly frill-festooned checklist revealing the true nature of quantity TV. In pursuing viewers or, more precisely, in the desperate need to keep viewers in front of the screen, it fakes originality with the most exotic variations of successful concepts possible. Thus, in Midnight Sun we have a pair of über-formulaically diverse detectives from different countries, who solve a series of the most bizarre possible murders in a breathtaking exotic location. We add to this a peculiarity in the form of a clash of cultures and ethnicities, which evokes a feeling of uniqueness and, primarily, a level of cognition a la the Czech documentary series Cestománie. We then wrap all of this up in literally every screenwriting trick available, and even in false evidence and hallucinations, which would have been considered a gross violation of genre norms in earlier detective shows (Father Knox could only shake his head in wonder). Viewers no longer work out how something happened, nor do they experience suffering together with the characters. Instead, they just wait to see how and if all possible absurd clues and spurious evidence fit together, or they rather morbidly wait to see what kind of outlandishly drastic murder the screenwriters came up with and the exceedingly masturbatory way they depicted it. (13.01.2018)

Shortly before watching Midnight Sun, I happened to have watched an Icelandic series called Trapped. That series represents one pole of the admired Nordic crime genre, based on realistic characters, conflicts, and motivations, where I have no issues with the logic of the storytelling. Midnight Sun represents the exact opposite. It is like an extravagant evening gown carelessly sewn from cheap materials, enticing with sequins and tinkling. Everything seems exaggerated and overly complicated, and the series relies on superficial exoticism and effectively arranged murders. The creators clearly focus on urban liberal viewers, serving them a cocktail of motifs such as homosexuality, clash of cultural influences, shamanism, etc., which are marketable in this group of recipients. Unfortunately, very few people pause at the absurdity of what they are watching and the folly of the plot. In the last third of the series, I was already suffering and lost faith in any reasonable outcome. The kind of mystery that the creators presented me with belongs to completely different genres. The only positive aspect of the series is the presence of the interesting Leila Bekhti. I consider this project to be a blind deviation from the development of the genre, leaving such a negative impression on me that I had no desire to dedicate time to the last season of The Bridge from the same creative duo, and it was to such an extent that I consider the used concept to be compromised. Overall impression: 25%. (16.01.2019)

I would hate to give Scandinavian crime investigation shows five stars by default, but when it comes to this one, I just have to thank them for the grandiose filmmaking experience. The creators have masterfully chosen preexisting locations in the northern Swedish city of Kiruna. They put in some not-so-pleasant stories about local mining, town’s relocation or the relationship between the Swedes and the Lapps and then they added murders with international consequences. They send over a French investigator who has her hands full coping with the Lapland lifestyle and wrapping her head around it. Since it only has eight episodes, they use the side characters in whichever way they need. Firstly, I can’t recall the last time I’ve been this excited for another episode right from the first one and all the way to the end. Secondly, there’s a couple of moments that border on genius; especially the animated beginning of the third episode, the camera shots of the picturesque northern Sweden and Lapland and an effectively written ending that had me on pins and needles. I loved it. I even thought that it was the best Scandinavian crime investigation I’ve seen. And that’s something considering how much I love Bron. (15.04.2018)

Before the first episode, I was sure my final rating would be high, as is usually the case with Scandinavian crime series. I was in for quite a surprise (an unpleasant one). I don't want to blame it all on the French, but I really think they had a major share in that. It took me a while to realize that the main focus was not on the investigation, but the coexistence of various different cultures (preferably all of them) in Europe. The creators were constantly trying to evoke an incredibly mysterious atmosphere and the result was that it had no atmosphere at all. I was quite annoyed by the constant flashbacks to Kahina's past and the endless supply of surprising results of the investigation. No, this series didn't work for me, and I do have The Bridge in my top ten favorites. (04.08.2018)