'NOS4A2' Review: This Genre-Bending Horror Story Will Become Your Newest Obsession
Vampires have been popular in horror stories for decades, with various mediums attempting to find new ways to interpret characters who feed on the life forces of their victims. Author Joe Hill took a page from the vampiric playbook and delivered readers a story about a character who uses supernatural abilities to drain the life forces of his victims, reminding audiences that monsters come in all shapes and sizes. Hoping to follow in the footsteps of adaptations of The Walking Dead and Preacher, AMC will deliver audiences NOS4A2 this summer, with the series pilot finding a unique blend of drama, small-town charm, and supernatural horrors, which will surely become every horror fan's newest obsession.
In the show, a seemingly decrepit Charlie Manx (Zachary Quinto) abducts a small boy from his home in the middle of the night in a Rolls Royce, taking the young boy on a long road trip to "Christmasland." Strangely, as the journey progresses, Manx grows more youthful as the boy grows more monstrous. Meanwhile, Vic McQueen (Ashleigh Cummings) struggles with life in her small town as she discovers a mysterious bridge that was rumored to have been destroyed long ago,which allows her to transport to the exact places she needs to be.

The show's title is a direct reference to Nosferatu, though the pilot episode and the upcoming journey of the series has a lot more to offer audiences than just a story about creatures who drink blood and avoid the daylight. The pilot episode and the overall narrative's strength rests in its unconventional mix of a number of genre elements. Not only is there a life force-sucking old creep
The genre elements all work for the series, even if they might be overwhelming for the viewer, but the drama is what helps connect the viewer to the events that unfold. Vic is understandably overwhelmed not only by her supernatural
In addition to the unconventional mix of genres and storytelling, showrunner Jami O'Brien utilizes unconventional cinematography and editing to help the show stand out from the crowd. Whether it be lingering shots of Charlie Manx's car cruising through cornfields or depicting the physical toll Vic's travels on the otherworldly bridge takes on her, O'Brien finds a unique tone which doesn't necessarily feel inherently terrifying so much as it conjures a chilling and unnerving feel that makes the viewer feel uncomfortable in their own skin. Making the series feel all the more unsettling is Mike Patton's jarring music, with the audio and visual pairing making for a wholly unique experience.
Horror fans who thirst for blood and gore might be turning to networks like HBO or Netflix to get their uncensored carnage, but NOS4A2 delivers an ambitious blend of genre elements that
No matter how weary you've grown over genre TV series in recent years, NOS4A2 will sink its teeth into you to become your latest horror obsession thanks to its ambitious genre-bending narrative and compelling characters.
0commentsRating: 5 out of 5
NOS4A2 is set to premiere on AMC this Summer.