DUBAI: This feature-length crime thriller follows on from the acclaimed TV series starring Idris Elba as detective John Luther, a man who doesn’t just not go by the book, but tears the pages out and sets it on fire — probably after beating a suspect senseless with it. Like the show, this new film, directed by Jamie Payne, gets pretty silly at times, pushing even the most zealous fan’s ability to suspend incredulity, but the power and charisma of Elba’s performance is generally enough to keep it on track.
Andy Serkis in ‘Luther – The Fallen Sun.’ (Supplied)
Luther is tracking a serial killer (played with convincing unhinged creepiness by Andy Serkis) who has spent years building up a backlog of hundreds of people’s dirty secrets through online digging. He then uses that information to blackmail them into doing his bidding. Concerned that Luther is getting too close to finding him after his latest abduction, the killer unearths some of the many illegal acts Luther has committed in the line of duty, resulting in his removal from the force and imprisonment. Luther, of course, escapes in order to pursue the villain, with some help from his old boss and while himself being hunted by the police, including his replacement, the straight-edged DCI Odette Raine (Cynthia Erivo).
His pursuit of the killer leads Luther through the dark, wet streets of London (given a definite Gotham City vibe here by Payne) to the frozen vistas of Estonia (where the killer plans to livestream his latest atrocities) via a whole lot of pain.
Payne paces the whole thing well, and puts the bigger budget to good effect, with some gripping set pieces — particularly a grim showdown in Piccadilly Circus when the killer’s voyeuristic nature allows the police, and Luther, to catch up with him. The climax is genuinely uncomfortable viewing, with the killer demanding Luther and Raine turn on each other for the entertainment of his audience.
Elba has long been touted as a potential James Bond, and this will likely boost those claims, as it contains many Bond-like elements (and similarities to the BBC’s “Sherlock”). It’s a gripping watch, marred only slightly by a too-calculated Hollywood ending that shamelessly sets up a sequel. If that matches the overall quality of this, though, no one will be complaining.