In 2015, thanks to the television crew of the British-Irish Sky Atlantic TV channel, the Fortitude TV project was released. The original idea of creation belongs to the famous screenwriter and producer S. Donald, the developer of such television shows as Murphy’s Law, Wallander, Abyss. Events unfold in the fortified town, lost in the vast expanses of Arctic Norway. Season 1 consists of continuous riddles in which hints of "Bridge", "Murder" and "Twin Peaks" slip through every now and then. The second season, aired in 2017, remained at a high level in the first 12 episodes, all of its 10 episodes are watched in one breath. The final third season, consisting of three episodes, was demonstrated in 2018. The project "Fortitude" reviews is purely laudatory, its IMDb rating: 7.40.
Compared
At the center of the narrative of the show is an intricate detective story that takes the viewer to an isolated community in the Norwegian town. In this regard, many reviewers in the reviews on “Fortitude” compare the series with the cult “Twin Peaks”. However, the brainchild of Simon Donald does not bear any mystical shades, he has much more in common with such famous television masterpieces as “Murder on the Beach” by Chris Chibnellil and “Fargo” by Ethan and Joel Cohen. From the first, “Fortitude” has the darkest atmosphere of the town, a mysterious mystery, from the second - impressive snowy landscapes, a decent setting and unbanal characters.
Plot
Only 700 people live in the northern settlement of the Svalbard archipelago. It arose thanks to mines and mining, when the bowels dried up, municipal authorities began to look for new ways to support the financial system. The idea of erecting a futuristic hotel inside the glacier seems very promising to everyone. However, the conclusion of environmentalists does not allow to begin construction. Almost before the presentation of the project, the head of the environmental service is attacked. Representatives of law enforcement agencies are at a loss, because in Fortitude never committed crimes before. An investigator from London comes to their aid.
Gloomy sketch
From the first season, the Fortitude series begins to escalate the atmosphere: murder, a mysterious fossil find, a mysterious epidemic that only affects children, visits of extremely suspicious people and dozens of other non-trivial events. In the second season, it turns out that residents are completely illegible in sexual relations, many suffer from adultery. Over the course of all three seasons, a chain of seemingly unrelated events enlivens the plot, promptly including those who are looking at the unfolding action.
Acting Ensemble
The casting of the television movie looks decent. The first violin is played by Stanley Tucci (“Terminal”), who is convincing in the role of the British investigator. The governor is played by Sophie Grobel, who shone in the Danish version of the series “Murder”. The image of the sheriff was embodied by Richard Dormer, who appeared in the Game of Thrones. The local guard party went to Michael Gambon, who played Dumbledore in the final parts of the Potter. Also, critics in the reviews of “Fortitude” noted little-known performers who reincarnated as less significant, but no less bright characters. The action played out unusually sensual, with a heat of passion and the intensity of emotions.
Criticism
Most reviews on Fortitude are positive. For example, regulars on the Rotten Tomatoes website assigned a show rating of 88% with an average score of 7.7 out of 10. Review authors expressed their unanimity in evaluating the amazing cast, unhurried manner of storytelling and gloomy atmosphere. Metacritic visitors recognized the highest level of production, setting the series 75 points out of 100 possible.
Many authors have focused on the fact that "Fortitude" scares open spaces no less than claustrophobic closed horror tapes. Of course, Fortitude is not Twin Peaks, but many times cooler than Whiteout. The successful combination of Norwegian flavor and British solidity acts as a guarantee of an intriguing development of events. Well, it is better to watch the riot of nature in the fierce north through a television screen - it is fascinatingly beautiful, but it sneaks to the bones from only one picture. The detachment of the grandiose northern landscapes, filled with ominous hostility to people, is undoubtedly a winning background for a brutal series on the verge of mixing thriller and horror.