Netflix delivers with a spectacular supernatural drama featuring a young adult romance, stunning cinematography, and an all-around intriguing plot.
Prepare yourself for another Netflix Original series this weekend as the streaming giant releases The Innocents. The new series is most definitely up there when it comes to Netflix Originals this year, and perhaps even overall. The Innocents is quite the mix and before you go dismissing the series as another supernatural series featuring a star-crossed romance, it truly is an intriguing series.
The story picks up when two teenagers, Harry and June, run away from their repressive families to be together. Unfortunately they’re derailed by an extraordinary discovery – June’s ability to shape-shift. But no, she’s not shapeshifting into a wolf or some kind of other animal. Instead, June first transforms into a large bearded man named Steinar who had previously attacked her. You could imagine that certainly throws a spanner into the works when their relationship has only just begun, especially since the only way Harry can see June’s true self is by looking at her reflection.
As the star-crossed lovers struggle to control this strange new power, a mysterious professor reveals that June is not alone: there are more shifters out there like her, and he promises to cure June and reunite her with the mother who deserted her three years ago. But as their journey becomes increasingly fraught with danger, Harry and June’s love for each other is tested to breaking point and they’re faced with a choice: keep their innocent dream alive, or embrace that their lives have changed and risk everything.
While June and Harry, along with their relationship, take front and center, there’s certainly more to the series. Firstly, there’s the stunning cinematography with rich landscapes, especially when it comes to the Norwegian scenes. There were many wide-angle shots that reminded me of Outlander, but The Innocents has a somewhat eerie and dreamlike feel to it. June and Harry’s story are broken up with scenes starring Guy Pearce as Halvorson, who is the professor helping other shifters including Junes’ mother; Steinar is Halvorson’s little henchman chasing after June to take her back to Halvorson; and also June and Harry’s family living their lives while also trying to find them.
Some viewers may lose interest in the storyline with the coming-of-age and romance, or they might dislike the pacing. The series has its fast moments—especially when the first episode hits the ground running—but some may find it drags. Some scenes and plots do stretch out, but when the end of the episode comes around and ends on a cliffhanger, you’ll find yourself hanging out for the next episode.
From the scenery to the music and score, and to the very talented cast who are mostly unknowns except for Pearce, they do an exceptional job at portraying the story. I also commend the casting directors for finding Sorcha and Percelle as they look like they could pass for teenagers with Sorcha aged 20 and Percelle aged 25.
Created and written by Hania Elkington and Simon Duric, who also executive produce. Elaine Pyke, Charlie Pattinson, and Willow Grylls of New Pictures serve as Executive Producers, along with Farren Blackburn. Blackburn directs six of the eight episodes.
Starring Sorcha Groundsell (Clique) as June, Percelle Ascott (Wizards vs. Aliens) as Harry, and Guy Pearce (Iron Man 3) as Halvorson, along with Johannes Hauker Johannesson (Game of Thrones), Laura Birn (A Walk Among The Tombstones), Sam Hazeldine (The Hitman’s Bodyguard), Lise Risom Olsen, Ingunn Beate Oyen (Norsemen), Nadine Marshall (Old Jack’s Boat), and Arthur Hughes.
All eight episodes of The Innocents hits Netflix internationally on August 24th.
