1899 is a German multilingual drama series that follows the passengers of a ship travelling to America in the titular year when suddenly, strange occurrences take place on the ship. The series is now streaming on Netflix.
Story
A group of passengers are onboard a ship travelling to New York in the year 1899 when they come across another ship named Prometheus that went missing 4 months ago.
The captain, Eyk Larsen, and one of the passengers, Maura Franklin, believe that there’s something strange about Prometheus. Meanwhile, many of the other passengers have secrets in their past that they’re trying to escape.
Weird and horrible things keep happening aboard the ship and it is up to Maura to figure out what is happening with the help of Eyk and a few other individuals.
Performances
The ensemble cast of this series meshes well to produce a thrilling display of suspense and fear. There are so many characters being portrayed and each one plays their part perfectly.
Emily Beecham plays the lead role of Maura Franklin and she’s at the forefront of this mystery with her confident nature and her drive to learn the truth. Beecham’s expressions as she learns more about what’s happening are magnificent.
Andreas Pietschmann as Eyk Larsen is the next in line when it comes to emotional tethers. Larsen’s character has a troubled past and a drinking problem but he still manages to push through his responsibilities as captain.
Larsen approaches the role with stoicism and intensity that befits the German captain.
Others like Yann Gael, Mathilde Ollivier, Rosalie Craig, Clara Rosager, Miguel Bernardeau and Isabella Wei are integral parts of the story and will get another go at it in any follow-up seasons.
Positives
1899 has an engaging story that will have the audience hooked on every detail and wondering how they are all connected to each other. The mystery is so well maintained throughout.
The sound design and score is outstanding. The synth heavy music, the sound effects of people chanting or singing haunting melodies, all blend together eerily with the visuals.
The visuals themselves are a sight to behold. The effects behind a person traveling between their memories and the ship, the different locations on the ship and the backdrop fo the wide ocean, whether it is clear or stormy, are characters on their own.
The obvious diversity in the characters and how they communicate with each other in their native tongues without really understanding what the other is saying is an amazing storytelling technique. These people bare their souls to each other, knowing that the other person will not understand them.
Negatives
The series does drag a bit at the backend and takes a while when it comes to explaining the truth about the ship and why they are all there together. It feels a little slow and might cause some eyes to drift away.
Verdict
1899 is a riveting drama with equal twists and turns to keep the audience guessing from start to finish. With an almighty climax, eagerness to see a second season is guaranteed amongst most viewers and the creators have certainly justified it with this particular series.
1899
Director: Baran bo Odar
Date Created: 2022-11-17 13:30
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Also Read: 1899 ending explained: Does Maura find out the truth?