If you are a fan of movies like Rosemary's baby, Ringu etc, then this new Netflix ominous horror-mystery found footage show wont disappoint you at all. Though its bit on the slower side of unraveling things, it offer a plenty if you are a genre lover. The show harmoniously interwove retro horror, a cult, time bend and alternative dimension in a very interesting way. The unpredictable climax which i didn't see coming at all and in retrospection, it has all the standard tropes of the horror thriller but the makers tried a labyrinthine narrative structure to keep us hooked revealing part by part in each episode.
The story follows Dan Turner, an archivist hired by a billionaire to restore a collection of burned VHS tapes from the 90's. The only condition is he has to work in a remote facility all alone. Dan who has recovered from a personal tragedy gets embroiled in a rabbit hole as he follows the journey of Melody Pendras who shot those video tapes to unravel a mystery. How these two character connects to solve the puzzle forms the 1 hr long 8 episodes.
Its a slow burner start and its loaded with mythology (half god-half demon, comet, gemstone, ferryman, solar system) and to believe in something beyond what we can see. Its a parallel story timeline with a distorted reality which presents viewers with a maze and there is a lot to love about this series. The characters are all interesting, and the main story is quite saddening and effective when it is slowly revealed through many different aspects. Its a morbid journey into the personal deconstruction of fears, complexes and human passions.
There is plenty of questions to be answered and i am eagerly waiting for Season 2 announcement. I am damn impressed by Episode 4 and 5 and i wish the remaining episodes showed that kind of quality. Nevertheless its spooky (less jump scares), thoughtful and satisfying watch for me.
Verdict - 3.5/5(The Other World)
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