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The miniseries ‘All the Light We Can’t See’ on the Netflix menu is an adaptation of a novel by Anthony Doerr, which has been highly appreciated by viewers and devastated by critics. It is yet another vision of World War II, a long-distance love story and a small ode to the role of radio and its importance in moments of tragedies and conflicts. Seeing….
The miniseries Netflix 4 episodes ‘All the Light We Can’t See‘ is an adaptation of the literary work of Anthony Doerr edited in 2014, (Portuguese edition of Presença), winner of the 2015 Pulitzer Prize (Fiction) and despite being devastated by critics, across the world, it is one of the most watched offerings and one of the streaming platform’s biggest successes. Developed and written by Steve Knightthe creator of ‘Peaky Blinders‘, ‘Taboo‘ It is ‘See’, this new series from Netflix set during World War II is directed by Shawn Levya director, best known for making comedies like the fun trilogy ‘Night at the Museum’with Ben Stillerand responsible for films such as ‘Free Guy: Impossible Hero (2021) or ‘The Adam Project‘ (2022). Despite being a somewhat novelistic melodrama, its premise is excellent, as it tells the story of two young people who survive in the opposing camps of World War II, united by memories and memories of the past, but who, little by little, fall apart. approaching, even romance. On one side, a blind French girl Marie-Laure LeBlanc (Aria Mia Loberti when older and Nell Sutton in childhood) who transmits codes to the allied intelligence services through his clandestine radio program, in the city of Saint-Malo, in walled and Nazi-dominated France; on the other hand, a young German soldier Werner Pfennig (Louis Hofmann), a genius specialist in building radios and locating clandestine transmissions, who, fascinated by the voice, begins to listen to Marie-Laure daily, keeping her a secret from his superiors.
We quickly realize the potential, richness and subtlety of the argument and especially the beauty and delicacy of this unlikely love story, where the interpretations of the two protagonists stand out at first glance: Aria Mia Lobertiwho is actually blind due to achromatopsia and makes her debut brilliantly in her first role as an actress and chosen from a huge casting. Loberti manages, despite her little experience as an actress, to give the exact tone to her suffering and vulnerable figure and at the same time convey to us the idea of a strong character from a psychological point of view. On her side, Louis Hofmannconfirms his dramatic qualities that he demonstrated as Jonas Kahnwald, in the German series ‘Dark’, (also on Neflix), although in this case of the German soldier, his role is less demanding than that of his co-star. These interpretations combined with the presence of Hugh Laurie It is Mark Ruffalo (as Marie-Laure’s father) in the cast and good art direction, reconstitution of the time, bring the ‘All the Light We Cannot See’, a reasonable narrative and aesthetic expression, which ultimately is not as bad as the critics make it out to be.
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The biggest problem of ‘All the Light We Cannot See’ Maybe it’s the fact that it’s too Manichaean, stereotypical and sometimes even caricatured, especially in the way it portrays Nazis. Including the obsessive and sick — and not just mentally — Reinhold von Rumpel played by the German actor Lars Eidinger, a Gestapo officer, treasure hunter, who becomes a very histrionic figure who almost seems like a cartoon. And it’s a shame because he’s a fabulous actor! Von Rumpel wants to locate Marie-Laure because he thinks the girl is the guardian of the Sea of Flames diamond which, according to legend, gives immortality and cures any disease to whoever possesses it. On the other hand, Werner Pfennig appears to us as a very good and pure character, who was led by the circumstances of life and destiny, to become a Nazi soldier, or, more correctly, in history, a German soldier, but not necessarily a Nazi. However, he gives the idea that all soldiers in Nazi Germany only obeyed the Führer’s orders and were therefore forced, and therefore deserved a second chance. The characters of Laurie and Ruffalo are also a little subordinated, without the actors gaining space in the drama and all their experience and talent really being used.
After all, Shawn Levy seems to struggle to find the right tone for a war series (that of a film) — which is not exactly its specialty — focusing mainly on the strength and charisma of the protagonist, Marie-Laure, who unconsciously does not live hidden in a shelter underground, to protect themselves from the bombs, but first in a very tall building, despite the destruction. During her broadcasts and air attacks, the building or tower is only partially hit and let’s not forget that, in addition to being blind, the young woman goes barefoot, making it difficult to escape the bombs.
Even though it is a symbolic tribute that highlights the importance of radio in times of war, the transmissions are made from a tower, something goes a little against the internal logic of the work, which is actually one or rather two stories of the fight for survival. In any case, let’s hope to see the talent of young people more often Aria Mia Loberti It is Louis Hofmann in other films and series. VIt’s also worth saying that anyone who read the book may be quite disappointed. The ending is different and some important issues are overlooked, such as the origin of Marie-Laure’s blindness, who in Doerr’s work is a victim of cataracts. After all, ‘All the Light We Cannot See’, although it is not wonderful and is even a little corny, it is far superior to other productions in the Netflix catalogue, at least in terms of spectacularity, in addition to being a series that can be watched all at once, almost like a film. It’s not boring, and whatever you say, especially if there is some fiercer criticism, it’s worth seeing!
‘All the Light We Can’t See’, Critics I It doesn’t please critics, it pleases spectators!
Movie title: All the Light We Cannot See
Movie description: The historical drama with two intertwined stories, of two young people Marie-Laure (Aria Mia Loberti) and Werner Pfennig (Louis Hofmann), over the course of a decade. Initially, set in 1940s France, the protagonist is a blind young woman who lost her sight when she was still a child. She and her father, Daniel LeBlanc (Mark Ruffalo), flee Paris after it is taken over by the Nazis. Daniel protects a legendary stone called the Sea of Flames, a rare and powerful item that is in the sights of the German army. On the opposite side is Werner, an orphan with a special talent for repairing radios, who is recruited by the Nazi army. Even on opposite sides of the war, the two begin to communicate through a clandestine radio transmission. It is precisely in this secret connection that the two seek a way to survive the horrors of war.
Date published: January 14, 2024
Country: US/UK
Duration: 4 episodes/288 minutes
Director(s): Shawn Levy
Actor(s): Aria Mia Loberti, Louis Hofmann, Lars Eidinger, Hugh Laurie, Mark Ruffalo, Marion Bailey,
Genre: Drama, War, 2023,
CONCLUSION:
This 4-episode miniseries, titled ‘All the Light We Cannot See’ has triumphed in terms of audience in Netflix. It is a historical drama set during World War II, recommended above all for the most die-hard fans of the genre. However, it was not expected that despite the devastating journalistic criticism, practically all over the world, there would be so many. It has spectacular scenes, the art direction, costumes and characterization are excellent, but the script, despite coming from a Pulitzer, is much less than expected. This is the problem with cinematic adaptations, which do not always correspond to the original work. The two intertwined stories are not very developed — the love story… if you can call it that —, despite a non-linear structure, between the past and present of the war. It’s one of those cases where a series deserved a longer season of episodes. The characters are also a bit stereotypes, although in relation to the protagonists we manage to gain a certain empathy. In short, it’s normal what ‘All the Light We Cannot See’ please fans of historical dramas, since, being a period production, it meets the standards of spectacle that are normally expected in a war film or series.
JVM
Pros
The notable performances of the protagonists, mainly by Aria Mia Loberti, combined with the strong presences of Hugh Laurie and Mark Ruffalo, as well as good art direction overall, regarding the reconstruction of the time.
Cons
It is a story that is too Manichean, soap operatic and stereotypical, in the way it portrays the Nazis, including the obsessive Reinhold von Rumpel (Lars Eidinger), the Gestapo officer, treasure hunter, a figure that is not only sadistic, but also histrionic and caricatured.
