By: Amanda Guarragi
Lovecraft Country debuts on HBO tonight at 9pm EST, it is based on the novel, written by Matt Ruff, under the same name. It is a show that will blow you away with its uniqueness, relevance and perfect casting. Misha Green and Jordan Peele present a fantasy horror series, that is incredibly well written, multilayered and timely. The performances from Jonathan Majors and Jurnee Smollett, as Atticus Freeman and Letitia “Leti” Lewis will intrigue you, and will have you tuning in, week after week.
Atticus Freeman (Jonathan Majors) meets up with his friend, Letitia “Leti” Lewis (Jurnee Smollett) and his Uncle George (Courtney B. Vance) to embark on a road trip, across 1950s Jim Crow America in search of his missing father. Atticus has just returned from war and has experienced the horrors of it, as he returns home, the PTSD of the creatures lurking near the trenches continues to haunt him. He is aware of these fantastical creatures and is on the lookout when travelling to find his father. On this journey, the three of them experience racial injustice from multiple Sheriffs and the parallel of what is truly evil, is evident.
Courtesy of HBO & Monkeypaw Productions (left) Courtney B. Vance, Jonathan Majors and Jurnee Smollett
Jonathan Majors and Jurnee Smollett are both so incredible in this show. They have such powerful energies and are completely grounded in their characters. They both worked so well together and had excellent chemistry. Majors and Smollett have key moments for their characters and they will make you remember them. There’s so much depth to Atticus and Leti, they are such likeable characters and the way they navigate their own journeys in this show is amazing. They are both incredibly gifted actors and they truly shine in this series.
Lovecraft Country has such great storytelling from Misha Green, it is so incredibly detailed, that the layers of generational discrimination and injustice is the undercurrent, while the characters attempt to navigate the idea of witchcraft. It has this perfect balance of what can symbolize evil and it is up to the viewer to process it. The obvious bigotry, that is present through the police officers, in those counties, shows that even though the face of racism changes, the structured ideology is present and it must be handled.
The camerawork, teleplay and horror elements flow so perfectly together than it makes it seamless. It feels like such a perfectly crafted show because of how everything clicks together. The most important aspect of any horror piece, is the suspense and that is definitely something this show does extremely well. There are moments that will never leave your mind because of how eerie or unsettling those scenes were.
Lovecraft Country is a show that will be studied each week, as the story unfolds on HBO. It is so incredibly detailed and layered, that it will leave you wanting to know more about this world they have created. It’s a powerful show filled with great fantasy horror elements, strong writing and seeking justice for past racial indiscretions towards the Black community. Tune in tonight, for the premiere at 9pm EST on HBO/Crave.
Candid Cinema 