I still think about this episode. It's one of my favorites in recent years. TOTDY is inconsistent, but the highs are very high, and to me this is its apex. It's a miracle this weird-as-hell show made it on TV, and I'm thrilled it did.
Plot: Gangsta Gay Jesus With better aim than Rick Grimes.
Aesthetics: fucking beaitiful. Great Sound-Design and music too.
Sluggish: Yes. Some scenes are still unintentionally funny because of how brain-dead slow people react to each-other.
This has my highest recommendation. I think this episode is up there with the best 90 minutes Refn has put on film.
I’m all for what this episode is going for: Creating a mythology out of the identity of its characters, the sense of patriotism and relationship within the cartel and the police as one entity, if not a mirror of each other, and especially everything regarding the role of the female lead in the background of this big family tragedy.
Sadly, this also proves my worries about Refn as a filmmaker. Extends shots for the sake of it, repeats the same movements with little to no development of themes or plot. Neither to show the idea of collective grief, better when is about possessiveness within the characters and expressing hierarchies. Technically impressive, but quite shallow, despite some moments of good contemplation (especially the moment when is all about Magdalena's session).
Well, I was wrong. This episode has the longest runtime, not the premiere. An hour and 37 minutes. An hour and 37 minutes of lingering shots of the scenery and background, longer-than-normal (I'd imagine) pauses in-between dialogue, a small amount of dialogue in general. Yet still engrossing in this odd, unexplainable way. I guess that is Nicolas Winding Refn's film style. It, along with the cinematography, this episode, was completely different than in the premiere. There were hardly any fluorescent colors. Instead, a simpler, more peaceful atmosphere, feel, and mood, based on the cinematography itself. It was like it had a mind of its own. No need for dialogue throughout its entirety but just enough. Before I began writing this, I thought I liked the premiere much better. I was going to rate this episode a six out of ten. Then, once a few seconds had passed and I was about to begin writing, I was going to give it a rating of seven out of ten. But I changed my mind. Eight out of ten is perfect, will suffice. And the more I think about it, this episode was more riveting than the premiere. I really liked Martin's sole aspect of the premiere, and I still do. And I'm very interested in the future of it, for the story to divert back to him, just from a balancing point of view. To keep the story flowing, engaging, and not too focused on one part. Attention will start dwindling, people will start growing bored, and in some cases, more bored if too much focus is put on, let's say, Martin or Jesus, instead of adding balance, going back and forth, keeping the flow moving. But now, I'm more interested in the continuation of Jesus' story. I imagine the next episode will put the focus back on Martin, and I hope by the end of it, I'll have that same feeling. That feeling of deeper interest, wanting the continuation of his story. And that cycle continuing for the rest of the season. That would be perfect. Inadvertently or deliberately causing your audience's attention to go back and forth from one point to another, like a master puppeteer. That must be the pinnacle of expertise when it comes to directing in the film and television industry.
Shout by DeletedBlockedParent2019-06-21T01:48:05Z
"I am the High Priestess of Death."
A masterpiece. This is mindblowing execution. While I absolutely love the first episode, this is even better, providing a bold look at what we thought was our antagonist but now realise is an additional protagonist with some of the most artistic and creative storytelling I have ever seen in a TV show.
Not that it matters, but I am surprised that this episode is drastically lower than the rest of the season here. My guess would be because of the daring transition between this and episode 1, by literally showing us another 90 minutes of a completely different location, set of characters and more importantly a very different feel. Episode 1 was dark and bleak, this was peaceful and otherworldly and an extremely unique portrayal of a cartel, letting us take in the nature and warmth of sandy Mexico along with the characters. Personally, I'm in love with this episode. This is Nicolas Winding Refn at his best.