Prime Video's original Sci-Fi drama The Peripheral takes you on a journey to a future that is soon approaching.An adaptation of the novel of the same name by William Gibson, the series made by Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy,takes us through the years spanning from 2032 to 2099.
Flynne Fisher (Chloë Grace Moretz) a young gamer working a dead-end job in a 3D printing shop in rural America in the near future. When Flynne’s brother Burton (Jack Reynor) asks her to take over his shift beta-testing what she thinks is a video game, she witnesses a murder and later realizes that she wasn’t, after all, playing a drone-piloting simulation game — she was really piloting a real drone in real-time in the real dystopian London of the 22nd century unknowlingly get involved in dangerous crimes through simulation games that are increadibly real. On a vicious quest to earn fast bucks, the adversities of techniology make them realize that there is too much on the line to lose.
The sole witness to a murder, Flynne must help characters in the future to find the killer before they kill her family. To do this, Flynne must go to the future via a peripheral which is not a dongle or a mouse or a printer but a body-for-hire, “an anthropomorphic drone... a telepresence avatar” that Flynne can control remotely via a headset.
Peripheral is a tightly plotted, tautly paced series that unfolds with the dream logic of a fairy tale. Jonathan Nolan is a social and psychological visionary, powered with a frantic imagination.Its a wonderful addition his brilliant oeuvre.But the pace slackens and momentum drops as we traverse the episodes, each spanning into 1 hour of runtime.It is unconventional and abstract at times, reminding you of another slowburn thriller, The Arrival.That's the problem many adaptations face while translating the textual theme onto celluloid.What works here is the solid set pieces, production design, costumes and the CGI-aided imagery.The game sequences are the true visual treats.
The casting is impressive.The Peripheral bring to life Gibson’s wide range of characters. Chloë Grace Moretz who plays Flynne Fisher amazes with her impeccable body language and intonation.Jack Reynor (Midsommar) plays Flynne’s brother Burton with aplomb. Gary Carr (The Deuce) plays the publicity guy Wilf Netherton who becomes involved in a murder investigation. Alexandra Billings (Transparent) plays Detective Ainsley Lowbeer who works with Flynne to identify the killer.
I go with 3 stars out of 5 for The Peripheral.A little emphasis on the pacing and urgency could have taken it into places.
Ahwaan Padhee, is an IT Techie/Business Consultant by profession and a film critic/cinephile by passion, is also associated with Radio Playback as well, loves writing and conducting movie quizzes.
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