Marianne is a welcome and unexpected horror treat from Netflix. This french series delivers unsettling visuals, high tension and nicely executed terrors all through its eight episodes. Slickly produced and effectively executed, the series feels like a love letter to Stephen King, aping setting, storylines, characters and themes yet creating its own unique amalgam of these influences. There’s a diverse range of scares employed, from cringe-worthy physical torments to slow creeping dread and existential nightmare, with a gripping level of tension accompanying each. There are some terrifying concepts at play, with some of the creepiest visuals and sound design 2019 has to offer. Special note is actress Mireille Herbstmeyer who singularly provides the series most unsettling elements through sheer power of an effective performance. The imagery and the scares are raw and visceral, with methodical buildup towards each without an excess of jumps or cheap tricks. The first half of episodes are superior, as the back-half jettisons mystery and atmosphere in favor of exposition dump, origin stories and wacky exorcisms. Most of the episodes are tightly wound and paced but some of the urgency and tension seems to evaporate in the last few. There is likewise a tonal disparity in these later episodes, where the atmospherics and creepiness can take a backseat to comedic beats. However, everything still manages to work and hold up, despite losing some bite in later episodes, the story is solid and execution excellent. There is obvious setup for a second series, which if it can maintain the quality and scares will be a welcome treat around halloween next year. In the meantime, it is highly recommended that one watch this in French with subtitles rather that dubbed, as the quality improves significantly in its original tongue.
Marianne (Netflix)