Review Of The Brave Ones: New South African Series Has Heart But Lacks Preparation
South African mythology hasn’t been explored much, so Akin Omotoso’s new supernatural Netflix show The Brave Ones is a great way to learn more about it. The first episode of the six-episode series was released on September 16, 2022. It stars Sthandile Nkosi, Tony Kgoroge, Nomalanga Nkosi, Bonko Khoza and others in a mix of genres.
The Brave Ones shows us the life of Ntsiki, a troubled young woman, and Ayanda, a desperate mother. The two women live in very different conditions and situations. Even though their lives are different, they have a lot in common, and it all has to do with the supernatural life of the ancient gods known as the Sages and the beings in the title.
Netflix’s official summary of the show says:
This captivating series of supernatural fiction is based on African mythology. There is mystery, romance, corruption and magic.
Criticism of the Brave
The review for The Brave Ones reveals nothing.
When a project has well-developed characters from other worlds, the writer must build the story around them, which often enhances the story. But if the story is more powerful than the characters, it can sometimes overpower them, no matter how strong.
The Brave Ones is a good example of this kind of plot. The idea behind the show as a whole is very ambitious. It’s a big step in the right direction to start talking about South African legends when Greek and Norse mythologies have already established themselves as big ideas. But Omotoso’s most recent work is unable to provoke the creepy heroes in question.
The show could have easily gone darker, which would have made it more interesting, but it moves very slowly in that direction. And before we know it, the six-episode miniseries is over.
But that doesn’t mean it has nothing good to offer. Even though the series mostly deals with supernatural things, it is based on the real world of social class. We see a lot of corruption in the project that Luthando (Tony Kgoroge) is working on, which ties together some of the side stories.
In a way, the supernatural theme is used as a metaphor for the actual destruction of a community and its land. The “tree of life” is a supernatural being, and the idea that their land is destroyed and they have to move is linked to it. Also, because distressed modernity is used as a way to recall old myths and legends, no one knows what to expect, just like people who live in the land of Ilanga don’t know what to expect. .
Abused people need a new-age hero who knows where they come from. Thus, Ntsiki’s Brave One comes into the world. Some people might even compare her to the character Eleven from Stranger Things, but she’s more of a goddess than an experiment. But her royal avatar doesn’t really show up, so her character arc isn’t as powerful and interesting.
The show is more about family drama than anything else. Sometimes the smallest and simplest action is enough to make waves, and Ayanda’s family issue adds a bit to the emotional quotient of the story, rather than the big picture of a goddess there. . So, human factors are a big part of what keeps the show going.
Criticism of the Brave
Should you watch “The Brave Ones”?
When you watch the show, it might seem like there’s a lot going on in the six episodes of the season, but as soon as you’re done, you’ll find that you don’t remember many characters. Some episodes have a very odd pacing, and the fact that the story doesn’t flow in a straight line doesn’t help. Much of the mythology needs to be explained for us to understand where each character comes from.
It doesn’t happen until the end, however. Watching the episodes, you can’t help but be interested in what might happen. The idea is great, but it won’t be able to reach its full potential until the characters are well developed. No matter what kind of family moments there are on the show, they all help build the story. But it doesn’t do a very good job of building characters.
those who dare
Moments that people have been looking forward to for a long time, like when Ntsiki finally accepts himself as the Brave One, just don’t work. These types of turns don’t always make you care about the character. In any show or movie, the main character has to be someone the audience wants to win over. Even though we understand that her tragic past is what drives her to accept who she really is, we can’t feel how sad it is and we want more.
Ntsiki falls short of a figure meant to be a revived goddess. On the other hand, the costumes for the natives are perfect, but other parts of the film, like the action scenes, the introduction of lore, and the demonstration of the strength of the Brave Ones’ powers, could have been do better. . When it comes to these kinds of shows, audiences want moments that push them over the edge and thrill them. If the show is picked up for a second season, we could see just how big the work really is and how well it fits the subject matter.
You can now watch The Brave Ones on Netflix.
