Equinox, preview of the new Netflix thriller series
Equinox: mysteries and secrets in Denmark
In six episodes lasting about 45 minutes on average, the supernatural series set in Denmark follows the adventures of a young and determined woman named Astrid played by Danica Curcic. The story is set exactly 21 years after the terrible event that shook the entire family of Astrid deeply traumatizing the very protagonist who at the time was just a child.The story of the series, in fact, alternates the events on two timelines as different as they are united by a terrible mystery: the first is located today, the second refers to the events that occurred in 1999, when it all began. At the time, Astrid was only 9 years old when a class of graduates inexplicably disappeared without leaving any trace. Among the missing students there was also Ida (Karoline Hamm) the sister of the protagonist.
This terrible event traumatizes Astrid to the point of having strange visions, hearing frightening voices and being considered crazy by all the people close to her, including her family. In 2020 Astrid lives a quiet life with her new family when suddenly those nightmares that had fallen asleep return to haunt her. Through the nocturnal radio program she hosts, the young woman is contacted by one of the three survivors of the 1999 accident who puts her in the mood to reopen her searches especially after the same person she had called would die shortly after in equally mysterious circumstances. .
Determined to find a light at the end of the tunnel once and for all, Astrid sets out on a journey in search of her sister and the entire missing schoolchild. This will bring her before dark and disturbing truths that involve her in a way that she would never have even remotely imagined.
A functional story without too many frills
Equinox is a fundamentally more rational and likely compared to the aforementioned productions from which it takes some characteristics. There is no space-time interference, nor plots organized by who knows what secret corporation, but it is all based on the legend of the grimoire, that is a book of magic written mostly between the end of the Middle Ages and the beginning of the 18th century.This kind of work mainly contained astrological correspondences, lists of angels and demons, practical instructions for creating spells, preparing medicines and potions, invoking supernatural entities and making talismans. In this regard, Equinox showcases the correlation between the equinoxes and the invocation of supernatural entities with the presence of demonic forces with a lot of pacts and human sacrifices with a constant mix of thriller, thriller and horror that does not exaggerate in anyone. of them and make the vision well balanced.
There are, of course, great twists and moments of strong narrative tension, some phone calls and others really unexpected. These are also reinforced by the splendid acting of all the cast members, but Equinox never leaves its comfort zone remaining with its feet on the ground without particular upheavals that would have potentially risked making the series more quoted than a potential Netflix flagship product. . The most interesting aspect is the idea that everything the protagonist lives, listens to and sees is the result of her imagination and a very acute form of schizophrenia.
In this regard, the contrast between current events and flashbacks from Astrid's childhood lived with her family and especially her sister is functional. With a growing climax from the first to the last episode, the protagonist joins the pieces of her puzzle and we viewers do it together with her trying to carefully analyze every single frame. The reactions of the family, of his sister, his childhood nightmares and the statements of doctors in the past are contrasted with a present that has not changed that much, but which presents a more decisive protagonist, aware of his ego and able to discern almost always effectively truth from fiction.
While in series such as Dark every strange event is considered almost normal, in Equinox nothing is unquestionable and Astrid herself will ask herself existential questions about herself and her life. The thin line between nightmare and reality has always gripped her, it has ruined her life in many cases and when she comes to have dreamlike visions, to hear strange voices even through an old cassette player and to have strange encounters in adulthood she herself asks questions about her mental clarity. These are the same questions that we too have asked ourselves several times because what we were observing did not always have a real logical sense.
Characters well characterized by a simple but precise direction
The tension is always palpable and this, combined with the not excessive duration of the episodes, makes every minute of Equinox enjoyable without ever boring the viewer. The characterization of the characters and settings is also interesting. The former, not being many, all have their own dedicated space: Astrid and Ida are obviously the central focus of the work, but together with them there are many supporting actors including their parents, Lars Brygmann (Dichte) and Hanne Hedelund ( Borgen), and Ida Amelia's best friends, Falke and Henrik.Each of them is present both in the flashbacks and in the present, obviously with an evident change of physiognomy due to the time jump, and they serve to better understand the delicate situation and help Astrid find the right way. Some even go crazy so much is the drama experienced, confirming the great attention paid to realism.
The settings, on the other hand, are characterized by a constant feeling of mysticism and fear even when the camera shows moments of everyday life. Everything becomes a kind of game of guard and thieves where Astrid is the one who hunts and the others are the thieves who have always known the secrets and do everything to keep the girl in the dark. This narrative combination was excellently represented by directors Søren Balle (directing the first four episodes) and Mads Matthiesen (who made the last two episodes). Their directorial style is simple, almost scholastic and amateurish, but extremely functional.
Photography does not present great virtuosity, but the images are always detailed, precise and in keeping with the narrative. A small flaw only at the end as it takes up the classic clichés of the genre and somewhat disappoints the expectations of originality set in the other episodes.
Conclusions
In conclusion Equinox is a solid, enjoyable series and well structured. Nothing extremely original and never seen before, but everything is told in a wise and engaging way, placing a great balance between fantasy and reality where the viewer can easily extricate himself. There is never the sense of mindfucking that you experience with series like, in fact, Dark because the plot is quite linear, but this is also a rather interesting aspect because the protagonist and the supporting actors are plausible and ask themselves questions about what they are living or have lived. In short, Equinox is a good first work that we absolutely recommend you to see.Would you like to see Netflix on your television, but don't have a Smart TV available? Here is the Amazon Fire Tv Stick that will allow you to have all streaming platforms and not just within your app!
