Bloody and addictive, but this may once again be a waste of time.
Lost was groundbreaking: never before had such a big mystery appeared on television. The series was a resounding success and many clones soon emerged. The fact that the makers gave the impression that they had worked out all the seasons in advance gave hope that there was an explanation for everything. Until it turned out that they were sucking their thumbs on almost everything and had no answers themselves, making the last episode a huge disappointment. From seems to suffer the same fate.
Jim is on vacation with his wife and two children in a camper. At a deserted exit they come across a fallen tree blocking the road and they turn around. Suddenly they end up in a strange and dilapidated village, but no matter how many times they drive away from it, they keep coming back. They are imprisoned there, just like the other residents who ended up here by chance. But the real danger comes when the sun sets.
The leading role From is for Harold Perrineau, of Lost. Many episodes are directed by Jack Bender, of Lost. The series was developed and written by Jeff Pinkner, among others Lost. Anyone who has watched all the episodes about the mystical island will now be a little nervous. That is one hundred percent correct.
From completely follows the formula of Lost. Instead of an island there is a village, instead of black smoke there are scary creatures in human form attacking people. There is a constant stream of new questions (without ever being answered), plenty of vagueness and there seems to be a supernatural history.
But worst of all: the makers seem to care more about the characters than about the mystery. Because that was the excuse Lost: “For us it was never about what’s going on on the island, we were about the people.” Nice and easy and lazy. A perfect recipe for disappointment among viewers.
Also in the style of Lost: the mystery is incredibly addictive. From is certainly a lot scarier; it’s definitely a horror series. Everything gives the impression that the makers know how each fork fits into each handle. The interpretation is originality at its best. Too many to mention and it would take away a lot of surprises.
But the villagers are less interesting than the plane crash survivors on the island. Perrineau plays Boyd, the self-appointed sheriff who has a difficult relationship with his adult son. The reason why is clear, but it is not a source that can be drawn on for long. Victor is an eccentric man with autistic traits who seems to have some understanding, but the way he is played quickly gets on your nerves. But no one acts as cringe-worthy as the kid who plays Jim’s son; There must be nepotism at play here.
Some houses are allocated to families or couples, while singles have to live together in a large villa. There, not particularly innovative, emotions run chronically high because they are a bunch of strangers who are at each other’s throats. The feisty lady who runs the place is quite stereotypical. Sometimes it even causes annoyance when it is clear that some people are making things very difficult for themselves.
So: be warned. So far, all indications are that this series will play out exactly as it did Lost. For every hundred questions, there are ultimately – not in this first season – five answers, which take a long time to arrive. And the explanation of what is going on may be unpredictable, but too dull to give satisfaction after years of investment. Actually it is wiser to From to leave until the series has been completed and those who have seen everything indicate that it is worth watching this time.
★★★☆☆
From can be seen on Netflix.
