If you’ve ever wanted to read Leo Tolstoy’s epic War and Peace, but never quite geared yourself up for those 1400-odd pages, then BBC One seriously has your back this new year, with a beautiful series ready to warm up your Sunday nights.
Last night BBC One presented us with the first of six episodes of new period drama WAR AND PEACE, adapted from the classic Tolstoy epic; telling the story of five aristocrat families dealing with life in 19th Century Russia, as Napoleon begins to invade their homeland. With a star studded cast including Paul Dano, Lily James, James Norton, Aneurin Bardnard, Jessie Buckley, Olivier Ross, Jim Broadbent and Gillian Anderson; the new series promises drama and turmoil, all from director Tom Harper and writer Andrew Davis.
With such a large cast, it’s easy to get lost as to who’s who in this first episode, as introductions are fleeting, stirred up by lots of dialogue about the state of Russia pre-revolution. However, Harper does a good job of ensuring our main players are marked out with more screen time. There’s great emphasis on the narrative theme, with money and power plaguing much of the undertones of the narrative; therefore it’s easy to decipher what will urge our characters motives.
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Among the many famous faces there are three main players that are worth locking onto, keeping their stories are the forefront of your attention, with the promising performances from all. James Norton plays the ever surly Andrei. With a death wish, fueled by shocking responsibility and preconceived expectations, he throws himself into soldier life.
DOWNTON ABBEY star and Cinderella herself, Lily James, makes herself known in the form of unbelievably perky Natasha. Despite the slight silliness of the character’s girlish ways, James is rather endearing and gives quite a lovely performance. Her incredible naivety is begging for a reality check and it’s with great anticipation that her story promises difficult times ahead.
Lastly, LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE star, Paul Dano makes for wonderful screen presence. Dano’s character, Pierre, is set to become one of the very central players within the narrative, with his character well known for acting as a misfit representative for the looming revolution; often echoing the thoughts of Tolstoy himself. If his continued performance is anything like what we’ve seen in this first episode, he could very well steal the entire show.
This first episode is very much focused on setting the tone and imagery of the time and era. The costume is outstanding, immediately a sense of lavish grandeur washes over, as we’re presented with glorious top hats, long tailed coats, glittering jewels and scrumptious dresses. The opening scenes are light and fresh, bathing us in the golden luxuries that these aristocrats are so casually accustomed to.
A particular highlight for visuals can be found in the battle scene, a stark contrasts to what we’re seen so far in the way of glamour. The brutality of the battle is only further juxtaposed with the glorious imagery. The rich green hills are blanketed by a rolling mist, beautifully filmed as the war horses charge into battle, filmed with the sophistication and grace of a feature film budget. The cinematography just adds to the beauty with stunning establishing shots and gliding images of glistening mountains and fluffy white snow; all aided by a sense of classically, beautiful symmetry.
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The series has opened with a promising start, but it runs the risk of being a little too British, with the central story of Russia’s finest lost in a sea of British accents and period drama traditions. However, Harper looks set to keep the tension high and the drama at the forefront of the story. It’s with great anticipation that we wait for next week’s installment.
Verdict
WAR AND PEACE will continue on BBC One on Sunday’s at 9pm.
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