Luther: The Fallen Sun – A Gritty Crime Thriller

Luther fans rejoice! Running on and off for five seasons from 2010 to 2019, the series developed a dedicated fan base while being one of the biggest projects that helped put Idris Elba on the map. For those waiting nearly four years for another season of the gritty detective series, the next logical extension is a film. Luther: The Fallen Sun is a continuation of the series centered around the titular detective as he attempts to solve his toughest case yet. Written and co-produced by series creator Neil Cross, if stays true to the series. While fans will be more than satisfied, it may very well convert others. Either way, the film will leave viewers on the edge of their seats for most of the 2+ hour running time. Elba is indisputably charming which has taken him a long way throughout his career and this is still the case here. His latest adventure saw him put through the ringer by a formidable foe played by an absolutely terrifying Andy Serkis. Joining Elba’s John Luther is Cynthia Erivo as a fellow detective who got pulled in right with him.

Luther: The Fallen Sun sees the now disgraced detective attempt to solve the case of a missing man by any means necessary. With the consequences of his past actions finally catching up with him, that meant breaking out of prison and being pursued by the authorities. Having to navigate through both sides of the law in order to solve a case that seemed unsolvable, little did he know, the case was only the beginning as something even more sinister lurked behind the shadows. The mysterious organization, run by a charismatic tech genius named David Robey (Serkis), had its fingerprints on every level of government and London high society. As the chaos grew and the body count piled up, the key was finding the connection between the victims before it was too late. However, Robey tried his best to make sure that didn’t happen. As far as he was concerned, he thought he took care of Luther but he didn’t account for his resourcefulness as he proved to be a thorn in his side. In a unique position outside of the law, he could do what DCI Odette Raine (Erivo) could not, as she was assigned to his former case following Luther’s imprisonment. Meanwhile, the now-retired Martin Schenk (Crowley) was there to offer his insight to both.

Luther and Raine’s dynamic and how it evolved over the course of the film was fun to watch. They were often at odds but they each wanted to solve the case, it just took some time for Raine to come to terms with that. She often found herself begrudgingly following his lead as he went to work on his own investigation which appeared to be more productive than hers despite the added wrinkle of him being a wanted fugitive. That being said, it was only a matter of time until they aligned ideologically and started working together instead of against each other. While definitely a menacing presence, Robey and his motives felt a little underdeveloped in terms of the story as a whole. The aforementioned charismatic man was an expert at reading people and always knew what to say or do to control or manipulate them but it became clear that he also had quite the sadistic side. He took pleasure in his actions and the actions of those under his control as it was all leading up to that master plan. Though there was plenty of tension to be had throughout, the chase to apprehend Robey and the many twists and turns along the way was better than the end result. That build up was squandered as the back-and-forth between Luther and Raine took much of the focus so much so that Robey sometimes felt like an afterthought.

On a technical level, Luther: The Fallen Sun immerses viewers into the gritty world of the series thanks to the camerawork which gives it a sense of intimacy akin to the television series but with a boost in scope of a feature film. Though the action set pieces aren’t flashy, they still pack a strong punch. Opting for realism over special effects, dynamic editing, and frenetic camerawork, they pull viewers further in. Ultimately, the best part of the film was the excellent performances from the trio of Idris Elba, Cynthia Erivo, and Andy Serkis and their great chemistry. Elba remains magnetic as the gruff Luther, charming his way through another case with his special set of skills and willingness to get down and dirty. Erivo shines as Raine, a woman feeling the pressure of the case which pushed out of her comfort zone. Serkis is downright terrifying as Robey, another charming character with a dark side to him. It’s a shame that the film didn’t feature nearly enough of him.

In the end, Luther: The Fallen Sun is a terrific crime thriller that will please fans of the series but also stands on its own.

still courtesy of Netflix

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Keith Noakes

The EIC of the coincidentally-named keithlovesmovies.com. A Canadian who prefers to get out of the cold and into the warmth of a movie theatre.