Spider-Man has retreated to the small screen. Andrew Garfield plays Detective Jeb Pyre, who stumbles upon the gruesome murder of Brenda Wright Lafferty and her baby daughter in the Salt Lake Valley. Naturally, her husband is the prime suspect in this case, but when truths unravel themselves, it opens up a deeper layer that exposes the violent consequences of unyielding faith. Based on the book of the same name, the new FX series also stars Sam Worthington (Avatar, Terminator Salvation) and Daisy Edgar-Jones (Fresh, Normal People). Given the level of content that’s currently flooding the television landscape, is Under The Banner of Heaven worth watching?
Under The Banner of Heaven is in an interesting position. On the surface, the pilot somewhat plays out like a cross between True Detective and CSI; however, the key aspect is that the mini-series is focused on a religious theme. Surprisingly, digging into the corruption and scandal that’s sugar-coated within religion isn’t out in the media much. That’s what ultimately makes Under The Banner of Heaven compelling to watch. Of course, Andrew Garfield is Andrew Garfield. The kid is a tremendous performer as you buy every role that he thrusts himself in. You never believe that this is Peter Parker, Desmond Moss, or Dennis Nash playing Jeb Peyre. One scene of him checking the crime scene is tremendous. Garfield lets his emotions do the talking and he sells this moment greatly. The case itself isn’t what particularly grabs you. Granted, you want to know why a seemingly innocent mother and daughter have been brutally murdered, but it’s the motivation behind it that helps you remain engaged.
Was Brenda dragged into some cult? Or was her lifestyle not accepting of the Lafferty family? Or is this a simple case of Allen Lafferty pulling a mental gymnastics on the detectives to hide that he’s the man behind the murder? Exploring the dynamics and faults of religion has always been a powerful theme that can be a tricky balance. Sometimes, shows or movies tend to take the propaganda route of making religion seem perfect and holy, without challenging some of the questionable morals or guidelines within. Or, it can often be a complete 180 where religion is completely eviscerated without a balanced analysis. Under The Banner of Heaven definitely isn’t going in that direction (or at least is doesn’t seem like it), which should make this series a compelling ride from beginning to end. Naturally, the pilot focuses on the characters, mainly the Lafferty family and the first episode does an excellent job of spotlighting the key characters and their dynamic. The other stand out characters are Sam Worthington’s Ron Lafferty and the murder victim herself, Daisy Edgar-Jones’ Brenda Wright Lafferty. The former has never really been much of a notable actor in my book. This is no disrespect to Sam Worthington as I’m sure the guy has worked hard to get to this point in his career. However, Worthington’s performance has veered more on the bland side, but the veteran was a nice fit as Ron Lafferty. He brings a welcome charisma to his character and considering the fact that Ron has a major arc coming out of the first episode, it’s good to know that he’ll be engaging throughout.
Edgar-Jones feels natural as the small town girl coming into this religious world. Granted, Brenda comes from a place of religion herself, but it doesn’t necessarily align with the Lafferty’s point of view. There’s so many interesting pieces of the puzzle that it was a good idea to give audiences an insight on the backstory before Brenda meets her grisly fate. The scenes back at the station are effective, with Billy Howle doing a great job of playing a distraught husband. The chemistry between detectives Bill and Jeb helps gives the series some much needed balance. The former absolutely doesn’t buy Allen’s story and already sees a conviction going his way. Dustin Lance Black does a good job of not making his viewpoint too one-sided or stubborn. It helps make the character come across as believable, yet still challenge the morality play that Allen is spewing. The pilot isn’t so much focusing on following the clues that will eventually led you up to the culprit behind the heinous crime. It’s about introducing us into the Lafferty’s and a good portion of them as prime suspects. Under the Banner of Heaven starts off pretty strong, though it’s not something you’ll be wildly raving about for weeks on end. It’s worth a look if you really want to dive into the religious stuff, but if that’s not your cup of tea then it’ll probably be a waste of time. The show doesn’t beat your over the head with religious jargon, but it’s essentially an elevated CSI episode with True Detective elements.True Detective
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