Deron Generally
Deron GenerallyLovecraft Country
HBO
Season 1 Episode 1
Sundown
Atticus Freeman is a lover of books, especially science fiction, fantasy and horror. When his father goes missing, Atticus will team up with his uncle and an old friend to travel from the relative safety of Chicago to Lovecraft Country in the segregated south to find him. On their journey they will discover dangers both supernatural and all too human.
In an opening scene filled with special effects and beautiful fantasy imagery, we see that Atticus Freeman escapes life in the Jim Crow south as a former combat veteran by immersing himself in the fantasy worlds of Lovecraft, Verne and others. When he emerges from that fantasy world, the harsh reality of the real world returns when he has to leave his seat on the back of a bus taking him from Florida to Chicago when it breaks down only to see the white passengers secure a ride from a local to their next stop and he has to walk.
When he finally returns to Chicago, Atticus begins to ask questions about his father’s disappearance and how it is connected to his dead mother. This will lead him to team up with his uncle George (Courtney B Vance) who produces a guide for black motorists to keep them safe when they travel through the south. Also joining them is an old friend of Atticus’ Leitia Lewis (Jurnee Smollett) who is escaping her own past and family issues.
When they reach the south, they encounter the evils of Jim Crow segregation and the threat of violence around every corner and in every town. After barely escaping a racist sheriff in a sundown county, the three find themselves in a showdown with not only a group of murderous, racist police officers, but a herd of supernatural creatures straight out of a Lovecraftian nightmare.
The first episode of Lovecraft Country doesn’t pull any punches in either its storytelling or suspense. The story is gritty and serious, but allows for moments of humor that are welcome. The action and effects are fantastic and enhance the story rather than taking away from it. The acting from the three main leads is amazing. Jonathan Majors brings a lot to his portrayal of Atticus Freeman. There is a quiet dignity in his demeanor that is hiding a seething anger at every indignity he is forced to endure. Courtney B Vance strikes the perfect balance with George by giving him a sense of calm determination and heart. Jurnee Smollett lights up every scene she’s in with her energy, smile and resolve. She is gorgeous on screen, but that doesn’t detract in any way from how smart, cunning and capable Leti is as a character.
Lovecraft Country does a brilliant job of showcasing both a dangerous, fantastical supernatural world while also balancing it with the real life dangers of a world defined by the all too real horrors of segregation. The first episode sets up some great storytelling to come as well as characters worth caring about.
Lovecraft Country S01XE01
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