About the film (courtesy of Netflix):
A gruesome serial killer is terrorizing London while brilliant but disgraced detective John Luther (Idris Elba) sits behind bars. Haunted by his failure to capture the cyber psychopath who now taunts him, Luther decides to break out of prison to finish the job by any means necessary.
It’s hard to believe that the BBC hit series Luther started all the way back in 2010. Idris Elba has made this sometimes amoral detective chief inspector a character that many can get behind due to the complexity of his character. While he is mostly on the right side of the law, the lines that he toes are controversial at best. While there have been five seasons, there have only been a total of 21 episodes over its ten-year television run, with the shortest season being its fifth and final, only consisting of four episodes which basically had a combined runtime of a Zach Snyder cut movie. And it’s to that end that receiving an even shorter run in the form of a feature film.
Luther: The Fallen Sun follows our embattled star has he finds himself in yet another bloody battle for justice. This time, however, it seems to come with legal consequences of the like that Luther has yet to face. His past has finally caught up to him to a point that he can outrun it no more. The worst part is that his deadliest adversary to-date seems to have prepared for every contingency possible to ensure an outcome that will be much to John Luther’s dismay, and maybe even demise.
Along with Idris Elba, Luther: The Fallen Sun sees the return of a couple series regulars, including Dermot Crowley. A couple of the new faces to this film version are Cynthia Erivo and Andy Serkis. This cat and mouse drama relies on sharp performances in order to garner the emotional responses needed to grip the audiences’ attention.
Sadly, Luther: The Fallen Sun does not consistently deliver what’s needed to give the standalone film a similar impactful feel as the more fleshed out seasons before it. Even though it has a runtime of 129 minutes, the plot does not feel complete in the sense that it pulls you in and leaves you craving for more. Quite honestly, I was wanting this story to start wrapping up about halfway through.
Director Jamie Payne, who also directed all four episodes of Season 5, is fighting an uphill battle. Even though Luther: The Fallen Sun is clearly a continuation of the series, many are not familiar with the television series. Those that are familiar, probably don’t remember the ins and outs of where the series left off. The good thing about this movie is that prior knowledge of what has unfolded in the past isn’t a requirement for seeing this film. That said, it’s always better if you do have a little working knowledge of the lay of the land.
With Luther: The Fallen Sun having a short two week exclusive theatrical run before its release onto Netflix, I find it very difficult to recommend rushing out to see this mediocre melodrama on the big screen. I feel that it’s much more suited for at home viewing, which is where it belongs anyway.
Still, if you really want to catch it in theaters, February 24th is the start date that you’ll want to circle. Otherwise, Luther: The Fallen Sun will begin streaming on Netflix starting March 10th.
