It’s almost impossible to write a review without the series Fortitude without using the word “surprising”. A lot. Every aspect of this show comes as a surprise, from the twists and turns within every episode, to its very existence. It’s one of those shows that has come out of nowhere to captivate everyone who watches it. It’s because of this that I’ll do my best not to spoil anything for you. However, the very nature of this series requires me to lend a word on its trajectory – so, if you want to go in blind to the series (which I’d recommend!) then stop reading now! For the rest of you, here we go…
Fortitude is a 12 episode Sky TV series that takes us to the isolated town of Fortitude, separated from the “mainland” (Norway) by a daily flight. Though the series is filmed in Iceland, the fictional setting is within the real island of Svalbard in Arctic Norway, the northernmost human settlement on earth. It’s a location which speaks multiple languages, with Icelandic, Norwegian and Russian popping up often, alongside the English that leads the series, and brings together a group of unique people. Some trying to escape their past, others who love the isolation and the beauty of the place, and plenty who are just trying to live out their lives in a place where it is illegal to die.
The series starts off with a gruesome murder – a polar bear attacking a man on the beach, Henry Tyson (Michael Gambon) helping put him out of his misery. But the town’s Sheriff, Dan Andersen (Richard Dormer), is already on the scene, and tells Henry to go home, “I’ll take care of it!”, he shouts from across the stunning black beach, covered in massive chunks of ice. It sets up more of the series than we realise, though our attention is turned to another murder later that episode which is also blamed on a bear – the Sheriff once again already on the scene. In a place that calls itself one of the safest of earth, as they try to promote tourism through the construction of a “Glacier Hotel”, it seems that there is a darkness under the surface that the series goes on to unravel in an arch that aims to surprise the viewer every step of the way.
The first surprise is that one of the characters on the cover of the DVD is a victim in the very first episode. Stanley Tucci arrives not long after, playing the compelling DCI Morton, and it’s then that things start getting really interesting. He’s the outsider who the inhabitants either find fascinating, distrustful or they outright despise him. This is a town, in spite of their hotel project, who don’t want outsiders interfering with their daily lives, in spite of gruesome murders which upset their existence. This is something they want to handle themselves.
During the crisis, which only escalates from here, the town turn to their Governor, Hildur Odegard (Sofie Gråbøl), who along with our Sheriff become the first suspects. In that sense, the show starts out interestingly enough as a traditional murder mystery, shot in the beautiful terrain of Iceland – from the town, to the beaches and the glacier itself, this is one of the finest and most beautiful settings a TV show has ever enjoyed. It, along with the characters, is what draws you in. There’s clearly something compelling going on, but it’s not until a few episodes in that the originality of the series starts to show its face – and we find ourselves in more of a supernatural mystery.
The mood of the show is buoyed by intense music that feels like like something off an A Perfect Circle record (see the often used “Counting Bodies Like Sheep to the Rhythms of the War Drums”), stunning cinematography and a storyline that twists and turns every which way it can. As we move from a more traditional murder mystery format into a more supernatural series, and we start to lose characters in a way that would arouse George RR Martin, things do get intense. It walks a fine line between something brilliant, and something over the top and unnecessarily melodramatic like Under The Dome (which, incredibly, just entered its third season). Though there are moments it teeters on the edge of the latter, on the whole this is a series that is compelling from start to finish. Well written, well acted and incredibly well shot. It will keep you guessing through every twist and turn while you enjoy the unique terrain the series places us in. And you’ll find it hard not to fall for the characters – even the morally ambiguous ones – by the time the show is over. By the end, some will break your heart. Though it really is Stanley Tucci who wins us over in the show.
Indeed, Fortitude has been one the biggest surprises of the year, and it’s definitely worth your time. And as luck would have it, we’ve already been promised a second series.
Season Review Score: FOUR STARS (OUT OF FIVE)
The three disc DVD edition released in Australia comes complete with a batch of 12 fascinating, through brief (2 minutes average) features. Of course, one of the most interesting aspects of the show is its location, and the featurettes “Let it Snow” and “Filming in Iceland” delve into the challenges of filming in Iceland. Fascinatingly, as it wasn’t cold enough, snow and ice had to be shipped in from elsewhere to give the show the real feeling of frozen desolation that they required. And there’s plenty more insights to be had along the way…
Special Features Review Score: THREE STARS (OUT OF FIVE)
Fortitude: The Complete First Season is available on DVD now.
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