Critic Review - True Detective

True Detective – Series 1: Episode 4

Director: Cary Joji Fukunaga

Writers: Nic Pizzolatto (Creator), Nic Pizzolatoo

Stars: Matthew McConaughey, Woody Harrelson, Michelle Monaghan

Released: 9^th February 2014

I chose this TV series for how it captivated me throughout the entirety of the series; it achieved this through the usage of its visual elements, such as mise en scene, cinematography, sound and editing. As well as this, how the tools furthered the narrative within such a compelling way, which ultimately is what made this series such a fantastic experience. The series flashes back and forth from 1995 – 2012, as the narrative dwells on a criminal who is still to be brought to justice by two, to some degree, unorthodox police detectives.  

One specific scene I have decided to choose and depict is the end sequence in episode 4 for which we see Rust (Matthew McConaughey) break out of his covert role within the biker gang and flee with Ginger (Joseph Sikora). This sequence in the episode is set back in 1995.

(Series 1:Episode 4 - Ending sequence)

Firstly, this location in comparison to the majority of season has a totally different feel about it,  after focusing on the limpid blues, greens and greys of Louisiana in the first three episodes, the director,Cary Joji Fukunaga  - assisted by cinematographer Adam Arkapaw - gradually switches them for the nocturnal, firelit griminess of east Texas's biker gangs, with the dread slowly increasing as we move closer towards the encounter in the projects. 

Clearly, the most distinctive elements used to creative such a cinematic and engaging scene are the sound, the long take and cinematography. 

The sound and cinematography go hand-in-hand with each other as Cary Joji Fukunaga has struck the perfect balance between the visuals and diegetic sound, to put it simply, 'show and not tell' . I'd say from the get go in this scene, sound is pivotal and as we get inside the house, the sound plays an increasingly more important role as we are unable to witness what is going on out there, however we are not blind from it. Through the use of diegetic sound from outside, we are clearly able to create a picture in our own minds of what is building, the realisation that these 'cops' are not real, we overhear as Rust looks through the blinds "They ain't five-o man" - "Get everybody" (0:40 - 0:50), it also captures the sound and imagery's intentions beautifully, the innocence of the child, yet the sheer chaos which is mounting. Instantly everyone, the characters and audience, know that this is going very, very south, rapidly. However, as the audience knows that Rust cannot die, as he is living in the present (2012), this will be a scene where inevitably speaking, the audience shouldn't really feel any anxiety towards the potential loss of him, on the contrary, with the director knowing this, he plays on it and creates this amazingly long take which doesn't let you leave Rust's side. We're trapped with Rust just like he is trapped in this maze of a project, fleeing for his life, bullets zooming past him and Ginger. This one long take creates such an authenticity to the scene, almost bringing it to life, you feel absolutely everything and you completely forget that he actually makes it out of this alive. We're meant to be stuck to Rust's side as we the audience are meant to feel every movement he does. There doesn't need to be an edit because there isn't anything more we need to see other than the perspective of Rust's, we can hear what he hears, we can see what he sees, and currently we go no further ahead with the narrative until he does. This all emphasising and encapsulating the vast intensity and havoc reigning over the project. 

Overall I think this sequence was meticulously planned to perfection, to have it emit the authenticity that it did, to really let yourself be emerged within it as I truly did was only able through it's usage of those key elements. That this character Rust, was running to survive through houses, over fences and for it all to be unbroken created such a sense of reality and authenticity that you felt you were running by his side, as if you were the camera. Everything was so purposeful and precise, even though we only saw the helicopter for literally one second, it was only meant to be seen for one second, as it captures perfectly what the instinctive human would do who is trying to escape for his life, run and get out of sight as soon as possible. This scene all together encapsulates brilliantly, a man's struggle to persevere and survive.