Having been a vital and visionary force on the big screen, director Guillermo Del Toro takes his vision to the small one for the first time since 1986 with his new FX series, The Strain.
Based on the book of the same name by Del Toro and Chuck Hogan, Hogan and Del Toro also serve as the developers on this new television adaptation of their book series. Exploring the beginnings of a vital, unusual disease outbreak that attacks a local San Francisco plane and, maybe soon enough, the rest of the world, Del Toro directs this pilot, while also co-writing the teleplay with Hogan. While not without its bumps along the way, the show represents what could be a pretty electrifying and daring new horror series, if it can just find its sense of pacing and fix up some of its characters.
When it comes to writing, Del Toro has always been able to write strong executed set pieces, especially in connection to life-or-death situations and haunting or arresting creatures. But Del Toro, at least in English, has never truly been a master of writing establishing dialogue, and this is all the more evident in this pilot. While the development of locations and use of atmosphere and tight quarters is all well in good in this first episode, the characters themselves are a bit of a mixed bag. When the show attempts to slow down and develop these characters, they are all written too stiff, broadly or ineffectively.
This can all easily be fixed with a tighter, stronger writer, but it is extraordinarily distracting here, and takes away from the intended character development the show wisely attempts to establish. While some performances, especially from lead Corey Stoll (House of Cards)—with a toupee that is not quite as terrible as I would have feared—give the characters some charisma unfounded in the teleplay, it is isn't quite enough at this time.
With that said, however, there are some truly great supporting characters here. Or, at least, one, in the form of Abraham Setrakian, played by David Bradley (Harry Potter). Not only does he have presence to spare, but his performance carries all the necessary mystery and curiosity definitively needed to make this character essential in the episodes to come. But, in addition to Bradley, Del Toro wisely directs the actor, while also provide all the necessary foreshadowing directing that comes across as illuminating, and never heavy-handed.
Thanks to the lack of limitations in their ten o'clock slot on cable television, the show is not afraid to get to the gorier side of their story. Which, in this pilot, helps to establish the show's sense of tension and threat. Fans of violence will found some truly good moments here. And, better yet, the show uses a great deal of practice effects, which, ,expectedly are effective and charming in the ways that they were in their glory days of '70s and '80s horror.
Additionally, there are some moments here that are pure Del Toro, and they are, without a doubt, some of the best moments in the show. Unlike his last directorial effort, Pacific Rim, the creature designs here are dynamic and unique, brought to life by some truly wonderful aforementioned practical effects. Additionally, Del Toro's signature use of colors and definitive imagery are constantly on display here. It is hard to say whether they will stick once Del Toro passes the director's chair to other filmmakers in the next episodes, but one should definitely hope they do.
The decision to make this book a TV show, instead of a film or film series, is both beneficial and also a bit over-eager. The show's concentration to character is smartly executed and wisely spread out, but the pacing of the show is a bit too sluggish. The lack of urgency in this episode until the final moments are constantly noticeable, and need to be picked up if the show wants to succeed in the long run.
Overall, while a bit of a mixed bag at times, there is no denying that this is a promising start to what should hopefully be, and very well could be, a fun, well-designed horror series. If it can just figure out its rhythm, it may truly become a great series.
Image courtesy of Peter West/ACE Pictures