Fatma review: Twisted tale of an unlikely killer

Rating: 3.5/5

For a crime-drama web series showcasing an unexpected but clever serial killer, Fatma on Netflix is an incredible take on social, psychological and emotional issues. Written and directed by Ozgur Onurme, the Turkish thriller is a story of liberation from traumas and guilts.

Story

The show starts with police interrogating a woman named Fatma Yilmaz, who is a suspect of multiple murders, that have recently occurred around the town. Fatma is a cleaning lady struggling to search for her missing husband and to tell him about their son’s death in an accident.

In search of her husband, Zafer, she comes across several thugs and members of the mafia, whom she kills without getting noticed by the police. Owing to a past riddled with physical harassment and mental traumas, she makes a lot of impulsive decisions along her journey.

She then learns about her husband’s involvement in signing the settlement for their son’s accident, to claim his blood money. This escalates her rage, and she now wants to find Zafer, only to teach him a lesson. Fatma finds him and conveniently enough, manages to pin all the murders on him.

After receiving a letter from a car company, claiming insurance money for her son’s accident, Fatma is furious eith the injustice served to her son. In a fit of rage she sets the office of the law firm on fire, for which she gets arrested. She refuses to answer any question about the murders and runs away from the room feeling sick.

Eventually, she comes to face her childhood traumas when she meets her sister on the roof. Tensed and panicked by the incidents, she pushes her sister away, which makes her recall her son’s accident. Finding herself responsible for his death, Fatma decides to take the ultimate step for redemption.

Performances

Burcu Biricik quite perfectly fits the role of Fatma Yilmaz, playing an innocent and shy woman, one who cannot be suspected to go on a murder spree. She carefully portrays Fatma’s transformation from a helpless cleaning lady to a serial killer with a ‘nothing to lose’ attitude. She successfully portrays her mental condition, emotionally connecting with the audience.

Mehmet Yilmaz Ak does a fine job playing Bayram Karadağ, Zafer’s ex-boss and the gangster, who helps Fatma realise her ability to commit crimes. He explores the role of a powerful thug who knows how to have his job done in the criminal world.

Hazal Türesan plays the role of Mine, Fatma’s younger sister. She is ignorant of her sister’s condition and refuses to help her several times. As the story approaches the finale, we see changes in Mine’s attitude when she accepts her mistakes and searches for Fatma to settle their grievances.

Ugur Yücel plays the writer who gets inspired by real-life criminal stories. He portrays a friendly relation with Fatma, who visits his house for cleaning. He studies the changes in her and writes a realistic story about her life.

Positives

The screenplay and direction of the show are up to the mark. The action sequences are depicted with precision engage the audience and build curiosity. A cliff-hanger at the end of each episode maintains the thrill expected of a crime drama.

The creators have successfully managed to focus on the role of trauma and guilt in turning innocent beings into dangerous criminals. Social issues like sexual harassment and mental torture are also addressed delicately.

Fatma’s narration with the grave background score complements the serious tone of the web series. Despite being a thriller, the show pays attention to the emotional connection between the characters, making it stand out from other similar stories.

Negatives

With so many characters at hand, the show is unable to explore the lives of each one of them. The web series doesn’t do justice to the plot as, at times, it moves away from the flow of the story.

Some of the scenes could have been elaborated more instead of ending the show in just six episodes. The murder sequences, as a result of impulsive actions, could be difficult to digest for some viewers.

Worth it?

If you are looking for an engaging yet speedy web series to binge-watch, then it is the perfect fit with only six episodes of 40 minutes each. Fatma is also worth watching for the impressive performance by Burcu Biricik in pulling off this one-woman show quite convincingly.


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