Archive 81 is based on a homonymous podcast. The show uses a lot of sci-fi and supernatural elements to create a terrifying experience together with so meticulously used technics from the classic horror genre. That atmosphere is brilliantly explored since its first episode and as they goes on, references from the likes of The Exorcist, Poltergeist, The Blair Witch Project, Hereditary, Midsommar, original The Twilight Zone, Stranger Things or even Silent Hill games may pop to our heads. Authors like Dante Aligieri, H. P. Lovecraft, Edgard Alan Poe and Stephen King are also very much related to the way writers develop characters, myths, unfortunate events and its own narrative pacing. Sure that there may be much more than that - on purpose or not - but those aforementioned references are the ones I could remember while watching. The mix works in a way that few shows are capable of and it succeeds mostly for its production values and performances.
The story seems simple, about a man that is hired to restore damaged recording tapes found in a residential building entirely destroyed by a fire incident, and the author of those found footages is believed to be one of the many victims of the disaster. But as its main plot unfolds the complex layers are also revealed.
The story's build upon two different narratives, the third person to set the present, the first person to set most of the past events. It's not a rule though, since those approaches sometimes can blend at each other but never making the different time frames confusing. In a time that a lot of productions are using flashbacks tirelessly much more as an element of distraction than as a real complement part of the storytelling, it's a relief notice that's what does not happen here. And the found footage situations, even though sometimes overused, are forgivable because the narrative explains it by the character's intentions.
It's unfair discuss more about its plot and subplots because anything may spoil the experience.
The most interesting thing about this show is how it builds the horror atmosphere as a living character and not as a momentary object to only scares audience randomly. James Wan works better here as a producer than on titles he has directed or written maybe because he's not the main person behind it, while creator-showrunner-director-writer-producer Rebecca Sonnenshine (The Boys) develops entire show with coherence and elegance knowing exactly that horror isn't about gore, jumpscares, monsters or computer effects but a concotion of subtle unseen elements that together grows slowly escalating to an unbearable distress that is only noticed when we get ourselves uncomfortable without knowing exactly why.
Although not a horror show, the last time I could feel this way was watching Homecoming's first season, another very good example of how images, effective edition and sound, when precisely combined, can make us feel threatned even when everything seems to be pleasant and ordinary.
The same happens here masterfully. The score is never intrusive but is there all the time to make us unconsciously apprehensive. The cinematography also pushes that forward with absence of light to increase the claustrophobical environment and the sense of loneliness of the characters. The industrial architecture of the house Dan's located (also the snowy woods that surronds it), or the 70's architecture of the Visser building, entirely covered by wallpapers on pastel tones, both locations intensify the coldness of it all, or the lack of empathy of others and how much vulnerable the characters are.
The cast is amazing. Mamoudou Athie and Dina Shihabi are the ones who carry the show effortlessly making every single aspect of it works, having great dramatic and frightening moments that are never overacted. Great versatile actors. The same about the supporting ones.
Unfortunately it loses a little of its pace when answering most of the questions in the last two episodes and keeping some others ones unsolved. The writing doesn't help maintain the same tone of quality that is felt until then and characters start rushing into events. Some lazy plot twists that could have happened earlier takes the front and a predictable ending happens, one that we've already seen before. A cliffhanger moment that probably will never happen to reach its conclusion as Netflix canceled the show a little after it's release date without further explanation or even without trying to promote it as deserved.
In fact, doesn't matter if you get the story or not, if you feel it's developed in a satisfactory way or not. It's one of those rare shows where the brilliance of it is entirely upon the horror experience that it provides. For the first time in years I could get chills while walking alone at home between watching breaks at dawn. That's what truly horror productions are about.
And if Netflix is interested on increasing its values on the horror genre, the streaming service should give the show a second chance for sure.
The story seems simple, about a man that is hired to restore damaged recording tapes found in a residential building entirely destroyed by a fire incident, and the author of those found footages is believed to be one of the many victims of the disaster. But as its main plot unfolds the complex layers are also revealed.
The story's build upon two different narratives, the third person to set the present, the first person to set most of the past events. It's not a rule though, since those approaches sometimes can blend at each other but never making the different time frames confusing. In a time that a lot of productions are using flashbacks tirelessly much more as an element of distraction than as a real complement part of the storytelling, it's a relief notice that's what does not happen here. And the found footage situations, even though sometimes overused, are forgivable because the narrative explains it by the character's intentions.
It's unfair discuss more about its plot and subplots because anything may spoil the experience.
The most interesting thing about this show is how it builds the horror atmosphere as a living character and not as a momentary object to only scares audience randomly. James Wan works better here as a producer than on titles he has directed or written maybe because he's not the main person behind it, while creator-showrunner-director-writer-producer Rebecca Sonnenshine (The Boys) develops entire show with coherence and elegance knowing exactly that horror isn't about gore, jumpscares, monsters or computer effects but a concotion of subtle unseen elements that together grows slowly escalating to an unbearable distress that is only noticed when we get ourselves uncomfortable without knowing exactly why.
Although not a horror show, the last time I could feel this way was watching Homecoming's first season, another very good example of how images, effective edition and sound, when precisely combined, can make us feel threatned even when everything seems to be pleasant and ordinary.
The same happens here masterfully. The score is never intrusive but is there all the time to make us unconsciously apprehensive. The cinematography also pushes that forward with absence of light to increase the claustrophobical environment and the sense of loneliness of the characters. The industrial architecture of the house Dan's located (also the snowy woods that surronds it), or the 70's architecture of the Visser building, entirely covered by wallpapers on pastel tones, both locations intensify the coldness of it all, or the lack of empathy of others and how much vulnerable the characters are.
The cast is amazing. Mamoudou Athie and Dina Shihabi are the ones who carry the show effortlessly making every single aspect of it works, having great dramatic and frightening moments that are never overacted. Great versatile actors. The same about the supporting ones.
Unfortunately it loses a little of its pace when answering most of the questions in the last two episodes and keeping some others ones unsolved. The writing doesn't help maintain the same tone of quality that is felt until then and characters start rushing into events. Some lazy plot twists that could have happened earlier takes the front and a predictable ending happens, one that we've already seen before. A cliffhanger moment that probably will never happen to reach its conclusion as Netflix canceled the show a little after it's release date without further explanation or even without trying to promote it as deserved.
In fact, doesn't matter if you get the story or not, if you feel it's developed in a satisfactory way or not. It's one of those rare shows where the brilliance of it is entirely upon the horror experience that it provides. For the first time in years I could get chills while walking alone at home between watching breaks at dawn. That's what truly horror productions are about.
And if Netflix is interested on increasing its values on the horror genre, the streaming service should give the show a second chance for sure.