The Rain is a new series on Netflix. I was very excited when I first saw it, because it’s a Danish series and I do not recall watching a Danish series before. I do have nice memories from one semester I spent in Denmark in 2005, and I have been arguably biased about Denmark ever since (i.e. needless to say that all my websites, including this blog, are hosted in Denmark).
The series is a Danish version of the story currently very popular in the popular culture. A toxic rain fell on Denmark and killed majority of humans. Our main characters are two teenagers, hiding in a bunker built by their father, who is also responsible for the toxic rain. The two teenagers spent six years in a bunker and find themselves forced to get out when they run out of food. Naturally, there are other survivors who are hunting for food and who try to rob them. As they were about to leave them locked in one room in the bunker, Simone (Alba August) ends up telling them there are other bunkers with food. This is how their journey begins, and they initially stay with the group, while also never giving up from searching for their father. Their mother dies early in the first episode, after an annoying incident with Simone opening the doors to someone who was knocking despite her mother telling her not to open the doors, because whoever is knocking is contaminated with the toxic rain…
An interesting attempt to join the current narrative in the popular culture. I only watched first two episodes until now, so I can’t say more, which is probably good because otherwise I would spoil it. There is a big conspiracy on the horizon too, because all bunkers are labelled as ‘Apollo’ and this label was also visible on Simone’s brother bed when he was sick, before the catastrophe with toxic rain that killed majority of the people in the country. Nevertheless, there are memory flashes that remind Simone of a conversation between her parents about dealing with virus with unknown consequences…
The thing I did not like is the way the English voice over was done. The series is in Danish obviously, but the way English voice over was done is really not good. I don’t know why I am complaining at all voice overs except for The Dark, magnificent German time travelling series. It might be just a personal bias, because The Dark is about time travelling so I had to get used to the voice over, as the story is fantastic. In addition, I also wasn’t impressed with acting in this series, but this can be due to voice over again. If I was able to watch this in Danish and read subtitles, perhaps it would have been more convincing. Finally, I simply do not understand why main actors (not just Simone and Rasmus, but also others when they join in) ignore protective suits available in all bunkers. Why panicking about the rain, when you can at least try to protect yourself.
Thank you for reading.