Rent The English (2022)

1880s american drama - The English review by MC

this was surprisingly violent and nasty, and although it is accepted that late Victorian america was very violent it was a shock to see it on screen so blatantly. Nasty characters, nasty outcomes - watch with caution.

Operatic Contemporary Western - The English review by CM

Written and directed by Hugo Blick, this series pays homage to the western genre of the past in all its technicolour and cinematic glory, whilst at the same time updating the narrative to place a woman and a native american scout at its centre.

The plot is weaving and complex, told in a series of loops rather than in linear progression and never quite jumps the way you expect. The relationship and chemistry between the two leads (Emily Blunt and Chaske Spencer) is engrossing and emotional. The film making is stunning, with enormous attention to detail, for the costumes in particular, that really pays off in sumptuous visuals. If you like the slightly over the top emotional tone (I would say 'operatic') of Spaghetti Western classics like Once Upon a Time in the West (Sergio Leone, 1968), coupled with big visuals and a soaring score, this six part series will definitely reward.

All style no substance - The English review by DM

Suppose you got an AI to write a TV Western in the style of David Milch and direct it in the style of Sergio Leone. You might end up with something that superficially resembled the work of those masters, but only in the way that a shambling zombie resembles a living person. This entire thing is excruciatingly mannered and ludicrously fake, obviously the work of somebody who has learned all they know from watching movies. All surface style, no depth or heart.