Netflix's Black Earth Rising is "massively thrilling" but requires patience

The Hollywood Reporter

"With his sprawling, twisting and ultra-ambitious eight-part miniseries Black Earth Rising, writer Hugo Blick confirms what was already apparent to those who watched his last epic story, 2014's The Honourable Woman, or 2011's crime drama The Shadow Line," says Tim Goodman. "And it's this: Blick has few equals when it comes to taking on extraordinarily complex topics, and even fewer who can match his overall excellence in the finished product. It's Blick's passion, apparently, to tackle seemingly impossible stories — ones with challenging plots, enormous emotional stakes and complex ethical ambiguities — and work them out in eight hours or less." With Black Earth Rising, Blick tackles the Rwandan genocide. "Approaching the heavy subject matter differently than in past projects, he makes creative choices that are sometimes counterintuitive," says Goodman. "This includes the inspired casting of Michaela Coel, the British actress best known for comedy (Chewing Gum), placing John Goodman in a key role, and weaving animation into certain scenes. Miraculously, or madly, it all works."

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• The story sounds fascinating on paper, but the emotional core of the story is wasted onscreen