‘Untamed’ Review: New Netflix Thriller Is Just OK
There are TV series that are exceptionally well done that fire on all cylinders. Then, there are shows that work well as mindless entertainment but offer little in the way of artistic merit. The Netflix original thriller series Untamed primarily falls into the latter category. It’s a reasonably enjoyable program, but I’m not sure it’s one that I’ll remember in the long term. The series often veers into formulaic territory, rarely doing anything unexpected. While I’m not usually one to complain too loudly about adherence to a proven formula when everything else is seamless, a lack of originality isn’t the only issue I had with Untamed. As it turns out, the twists aren’t especially well disguised; some of the supporting performances are rough around the edges; and the lead character is largely assembled from archetypes.
The archetypal main character here is Kyle Turner (Eric Bana), a special agent with the National Park Service stationed out of Yosemite, hardened by a tragic loss, and he uses alcohol to numb the pain. We’ve certainly seen that setup explored time and again, and it’s not really done with enough nuance here to make it feel fresh.
When Kyle learns of a Jane Doe (Ezra Franky), who careened off a rock formation and collided with a group of climbers on the way down, he gets to work investigating. Kyle eventually teams up with Naya (Lily Santiago), a rookie park ranger with spunk and a complicated personal life. As you can probably guess, the two initially clash, but ultimately forge a tight bond.
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The opening scene with the climbers unexpectedly encountering the victim seemingly falling from the sky is great; it caught me off guard and pulled me in. I only wish a similar level of unpredictability and a comparable baseline of tension had been more effectively maintained for the rest of the series. Though The Untamed remains gripping on the whole, it never tops the first five minutes. As I watched the opening unfold, I found myself uncontrollably repeating “Oh my god” for about 20 seconds. Despite that incredible start, the program largely adheres to police procedural conventions thereafter.
Even still, it’s interesting enough to watch Kyle work to solve the central mystery while he navigates his personal demons and forges an unlikely bond with Naya. There’s a certain amount of merit to their dynamic, even if it’s nothing fresh or original. Both Bana and Santiago deliver serviceable performances that endeared me to each, respectively.
I can’t say the same about some of the supporting players, though. Thanks to challenging acting and formulaic writing, there are a couple of tertiary characters who read a little rough. William Smillie, who plays cantankerous park ranger Milch, isn’t necessarily awful, but his performance lacks range, and his character lacks depth. I felt the exact same way about Joe Holt, who plays Lawrence Hamilton, the optics-obsessed park superintendent. With that said, Hamilton and Milch each appear sparingly, so their potential to distract is minimized.
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The aforementioned tertiary characters in Untamed weren’t, however, my only source of distraction. Father/daughter showrunners Mark L. Smith and Elle Smith work a couple of different twists into the proceedings that aren’t nearly as effective as they ought to have been. The way that they set the twists up is uninspired and overly familiar. When I picked up on the groundwork, I kept hoping I was wrong. I found myself saying, “Please don’t make it that obvious.” Yet, I was unpleasantly surprised to learn that I had guessed correctly regarding two major narrative developments intended to shock and surprise.
I couldn’t help but find myself a bit disappointed when everything regarding the respective twists came into focus. I felt cheated out of the type of obligatory reaction of shock and dismay that normally makes escapist fare of this ilk so much fun to take in.
Though it may not surprise as much as it sets out to, the show still has enough merit to warrant a watch for anyone with a fondness for an escapist thriller and a little time to kill. This is the kind of punchy effort that you can take in over the course of a single weekend, which is exactly what I did. I started the six-episode series on Friday and finished on Sunday. It worked as a welcome distraction that I don’t regret watching.
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Gorgeous scenery helped me get over some of my misgivings. The series features some breathtaking scenery that is beautifully captured by cinematographers Michael McDonough and Brendan Uegama. So, even if matters are a bit routine at times and the surprises are few and far between, there’s plenty of beauty to take in along the way.
If you’re looking for a competently rendered distraction that won’t make you think too hard, navigate your way over to Netflix to see what you think of Untamed. You could surely do better, but you could also do so much worse.
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Untamed
Summary
If you’re willing to turn your brain off and go along for the ride, ‘Untamed’ is likely to serve as a welcome distraction.
Categorized: Reviews