True Detective: Night Country Review

Summary

• True Detective: Night Country returns to the quality of its superb first season, delivering a sinister odyssey of brutal murders in a frozen, unforgiving setting.
• Jodie Foster and Kali Reis make for riveting protagonists, fueling a dark search for the truth where each clue leads to increasingly disturbing possibilities.
• Complex relationships intertwine to explore divisive racial, sexual, and environmental themes, resulting in a truly unexpected conclusion that will have viewers glued to their screens.

In True Detective: Night Country, the fourth season of the HBO anthology series returns to the quality of its superb first season in a sinister odyssey of brutal murders. Jodie Foster and co-star Kali Reis play Liz and Evangeline, commanding the screen as riveting protagonists confronted with troubling mysteries in a frozen, unforgiving setting. Their personal tragedies fuel an existential search for the truth where each clue leads to twisted possibilities. Is death the end or does another realm exist for tortured souls? Complex relationships intertwine to explore divisive racial, sexual, and environmental themes. Six well-written and acted episodes will have you glued to a truly unexpected conclusion.

The premiere opens on Dec. 17th, the last day of sunset, 150 miles north of the Arctic Circle near the fictional mining town of Ennis, Alaska. Scientists at the TSALAL research station are in a festive mood for the upcoming holidays. Ferris Bueller’s Day Off plays in the common room as everyone prepares for dinner. Suddenly, the lights flicker and one of the eight men stands erect. He begins to convulse in fear. Everyone stops what they’re doing and races towards their shaking colleague.

Three days later, a supply truck arrives at the station. The entire facility seems abandoned. He roams the halls calling out for the scientists. Ferris Bueller’s Day Off continues eerily. Where is everyone? The driver stops in his tracks. There’s something strange on the floor beside the kitchen table. He recoils in terror before running back to the garage.

Meanwhile, at a nearby crab processing plant, Alaska State Trooper Evangeline “Angie” Navarro (Reis), covered in tattoos and with distinct cheek piercings, tries to settle a worker dispute. Her radio crackles about an emergency situation at TSALAL. Angie’s triggered to hear those words. She rushes to a crime scene outside of her jurisdiction. Ennis Chief of Police Elizabeth “Liz” Danvers (Foster) won’t be happy to see her. The unsolved stabbing of Annie Kowtok, a tribal midwife, soured their relationship several years earlier.

Unlikely Partners in Jodie Foster and Kali Reis

True Detective: Night Country establishes strong character personalities for conflicts to come. Liz is a no-nonsense authoritarian who doesn’t accept disobedience. Her thorough and incisive investigative approach hinges on a key tactic: asking the right questions. Liz pushes her officers to understand the motivations behind a crime. Her strict orders are meant to be followed without deviation. A sentiment not shared by Leah (Isabella Star LaBlanc), her rebellious Iñupiat stepdaughter embroiled in a romance with another schoolgirl.

Related: True Detective Season 4 Cast and Character Guide

The tough-as-nails Angie hides deep emotional distress. She worries that the mental anguish affecting her beloved sister is the same illness that claimed their mother. Their similarities to Annie Kowtok haunt Angie as she also experiences bizarre visions. There’s something calling to her from the unknown. Is she going crazy, or does Angie have a spiritual connection guiding her?

Whopper Reveals in Season 4

Writer-director Issa López (Britannia, Tigers Are Not Afraid) brilliantly utilizes Ennis and the remote environment. Sex, and the urgent desire for physical interaction, play an important part in the story. At the same time, López tackles violence against indigenous women with searing honesty. Angie is furious at the way Annie’s case was treated. All stops were pulled out for the white male scientists, so why was her life less valuable?

Related: True Detective Season 4 Cast and Character Guide

True Detective: Night Country has a whopper conclusion that will floor you. There are twists aplenty, so avoid spoilers. That said, certain aspects of the production design and visual effects serve as a minor quibble that prevents a four-star rating. The depiction of arctic winter and pitch darkness sometimes falls short. For example, it’s evident when the characters are on a set and aren’t cold, the backgrounds look digital, and you can’t see their breath. It’s by no means a deal-breaker, but discernible to the point of challenging realism.

True Detective: Night Country is a production of PASTEL and Truenorth Productions. The series premieres Jan. 14th at 9 PM exclusively on HBO and can be streamed on Max.

True Detective

Release Date January 12, 2014

Cast Mahershala Ali , Stephen Dorff , Carmen Ejogo , Scoot McNairy , Jodie Foster , Kali Reis , Matthew McConaughey , Woody Harrelson , Alexandra Daddario , John Hawkes , Colin Farrell , Vince Vaughn

Seasons 4

Studio HBO

Pros

• Great performances from Jodie Foster and Kali Reis
• Takes True Detective back to its acclaimed roots in season one
• Investigates sexual and racial dynamics in interesting ways
• Creates an engaging mystery that’s increasingly disturbing

Cons

• The production design is surprisingly weak, and it’s clear the actors are on a set, stripping some verisimilitude.
• Filming at night in winter results in dark, ugly cinematography at times.

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