For years it was conventional wisdom that an adaptation of the sandman, the much-celebrated series of graphic novels by Neil Gaiman, Sam Keith, and Mike Dringenberg, couldn’t possibly be executed well. The property had been in development for over two decades, with some version floating around the Hollywood airwaves. It would take until 2022 for a sandman adaptation to finally make an appearance, and fans will be happy to know it was worth the wait.
Clocked in on 10 episodes, Netflix’s the sandman, which was produced in collaboration with Warner Bros., is an absolute homecoming game for on-screen comic strip adaptation. Developed by David S. Goyer (who worked with Christopher and Jonathan Nolan on the Dark Knight trilogy), Allan Heinberg and Neil Gaiman himself, the series translates the dreamy (and nightmarish) images and stories almost perfectly for the screen.
For the uninitiated, the sandman is a sprawling dark fantasy story that follows the protagonist Dream (aka Morpheus), a being who rules the world of dreams and nightmares. The story begins when Dream is captured by human occultists and held captive for nearly a century, causing untold amounts of damage to humanity and the dream realm. This is the plot of both the first issue of the sandman comics, as well as the premiere episode.
Each episode that follows closely follows the plot of each issue, with some minor changes to streamline the story and build a coherent running line (something necessary for TV storytelling). These changes to the story, like the introduction of the villainous Corinthian (Boyd Holbrook) right at the beginning, make sense for the medium and don’t work against the storytelling. At least they help translate such a sprawling and sometimes challenging story to the screen.
Clearly a series was the right choice for the sandmanbecause there’s no way one movie can capture the multiple storylines so efficiently. This season closely follows the first two installments of the comics, including a gripping and terrifying fifth episode, based on one of the comic’s most infamous problems set during a 24-hour dinner party. The second half of the series doesn’t hold up as well as the first, and there are a few points where some of the darker aspects of the show are undermined by comedic relief. The finale also feels a bit rushed as you have to tie up a storyline that didn’t get that many episodes to flesh it all out. For the most part, though, the show does a great job of making each episode feel unique, as the entire series comes together in a coherent story.
Dream, played by Tom Sturridge, is part of the Endless, a group of creatures that exist outside the realm of humans and even gods, overseeing their various facets of life in the universe. Three of these siblings appear in the series and each of them is captured perfectly by their actors’ performances. Kirby Howell-Baptiste plays Death, Dream’s more optimistic and good-hearted sister. Howell-Baptiste imbues Death with the same sense of humanity that the character has in the comics. She understands that people fear death, but that it is ultimately a necessary part of life.
On the other hand is Desire, Dream’s more cunning sibling, played by Mason Alexander Park. Park, who is non-binary, is the perfect choice for Desire, who never had a particular gender in the comics. However, Park’s casting goes beyond just being a non-binary actor. The way they capture Desire’s playful but ultimately evil conspiracy against Dream is perfect. It’s just one example of how the series so adeptly translates the story from page to screen. As for the casting, the show really nails every character. Much was made about Gwendolyn Christie playing Lucifer, but she exudes such menace and pure evil in all her scenes that it’s hard to imagine why anyone would object.
The rest of the cast speaks for itself well. Vivienne Acheampong plays Lucienne, Dream’s loyal librarian with sparkling professionalism, and Patton Oswalt amuses himself as the voice of Matthew, Dream’s loyal Raven companion. David Thewlis provides a compelling John Dee, which gives the character even more depth than in the comics and makes him much more human. And in her performances as Johanna Constantine, Jenna Coleman adds a new dimension to the famous occult detective.
However, the show wouldn’t work without the perfect dream, and Tom Sturridge proves in all his scenes that he was the right choice. The most important thing about the character is that he starts the story with a steel removal of humanity. This is a creature that has been around for longer than can be understood, and he has little to no interest in people’s lives. But as the story progresses, he learns to embrace humanity and see the good in them. Sturridge skillfully executes this development over the course of the series, translating how the character reads on the page into a rousing performance.
There will likely be some criticism of the show from comic book fans who wanted to translate the comics’ drawing style perfectly to the screen. Since this was a live-action adaptation, that would never be the case, but that doesn’t mean the show lacks visual flair or imagination. The Realms of Dreams and Hell are both spectacular, with the production design where both translate the look of their comic book in a way that preserves their original appearance. Likewise, the Endless are not portrayed exactly like their pasty white counterparts on the page, but to make them look like humans was the smart choice, and allows the actors to really embody the characters rather than just being on them. to seem.
It doesn’t feel hyperbolic to say that the sandman is a triumph, one that Neil Gaiman should be very proud to have been involved in. From the cast to the stories to the visuals, these 10 episodes are about as perfect as a comic book adaptation can be. They show that it’s possible to capture the story of the comics almost exactly without feeling like a copy, and that big, sprawling stories with deep themes can be brought to the screen without sacrificing what they’re in the first place. place so special. It’s good to know that a screen version of this celebrated title could be more than just a dream.
the sandman is now streaming on Netflix.
0 Comments