DUBAI: Dennis Kelly’s unique conspiracy thriller was cancelled after 12 episodes, much to the chagrin of its many fans. It’s easy to see why it wasn’t a mainstream hit — you’ll need a strong stomach to deal with its ultraviolence (directed at men, women and children alike), and a focused brain to cope with the complex and constantly twisting narrative. But the rewards are plentiful.
For a start, “Utopia” looks gorgeous, with the kind of vivid colors and languid cinematography of a pastoral art-house movie. It’s also — despite its dense plotlines — slick and constantly engaging. And at times it’s extremely funny (so long as you enjoy dark, dark humor).
The show was cancelled after 12 episodes. (Supplied)
Five fans of “The Utopia Experiments” — a graphic novel that has garnered a cult following for having predicted global disasters (including SARS and BSE) stretching back decades — meet in an online forum. They are told an unreleased manuscript of a sequel exists. One of them gets his hands on it and arranges to meet the others — IT consultant Ian, conspiracy theorist Wilson, Welsh student Becky and tween tearaway Grant (whom the others believe to be a twenty-something city trader who drives a Porsche). The man with the manuscript never shows up, but just knowing of its existence places the other four in mortal danger from a sinister organization known only as The Network, whose two incredibly laidback hitmen, Arby and Lee, are now on their trail.
They are quickly exposed to an underground world of blackmail, global geopolitics, genetics and eugenics, frame-ups and cover-ups, big pharma, illegal drug testing, torture and much more, with hardly anyone to help them against the seemingly omniscient, and definitely murderous, Network.
The show was released in 2013. (Supplied)
Hardly anyone. But their main ally is Jessica Hyde — the daughter of the man who wrote (and drew) “The Utopia Experiments.” She has, she informs them, been on the run from The Network since she was four years old. She knows how to survive. “Adjust or die,” she tells them.
What begins as a fairly standard tale of good and evil morphs into something far less black and white, in which morality may be a luxury mankind cannot afford as the world heads toward disaster caused by overpopulation.
“Utopia” isn’t for the squeamish (and definitely not for kids), but it is an outstanding dramatic thriller that is brilliantly acted, stylishly shot, and powerfully told.
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