American Primeval: In a letter from a U.S. Army captain, played by Lucas Neff, in the new #Netflix miniseries American Primeval, he writes to his loved ones, reflecting on the hardships of war. Created by Mark L. Smith, screenwriter of The Revenant, the show often equates suffering with depth. It seems more focused on brutal, graphic deaths than on developing characters who viewers can truly invest in emotionally before they’re gone.
#American Primeval blends real historical figures with fictional characters in the Utah Territory of 1857. The story starts with Sara (Betty Gilpin) and her son Devin (Preston Mota) heading west to find her husband, though it’s unclear if he wants them there. Jim Bridger (Shea Whigham), a fur trapper, warns them of the dangers ahead. When Isaac (Taylor Kitsch), a mountain man, refuses to guide them, Sara joins a group including Jacob (Dane DeHaan) and Abish (Saura Lightfoot Leon), a Mormon couple seeking Brigham Young. As violence erupts, the plot shifts between Sara’s journey and rising tensions between the Army, militia, and Shoshone.
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Whigham’s wry portrayal of Bridger, who constantly gives wise advice ignored at great cost, isn’t comedic but provides the closest thing to relief in American Primeval. Unfortunately, the rest of the show is relentless brutality with little purpose beyond shock value.
#American Primeval includes graphic violence, like sexual assaults and scalping, directed by Peter Berg, who teams up with Kitsch again. Berg’s action style, such as turning arrows into an apocalyptic spectacle, is visually striking but doesn’t save the shallow material. The talented cast, including Gilpin and DeHaan, struggles with weak writing. Gilpin is mostly reduced to stoic suffering, while DeHaan’s character, filled with odd tics, lacks depth. Kitsch repeats previous roles, brooding over Isaac’s tragic backstory. The relationships, particularly between Jacob and Abish, feel underdeveloped, leaving their struggles and emotional arcs flat and unimpactful.
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The two main storylines start out connected but soon diverge, with little reason for them to coexist. Their only apparent purpose is to reinforce Smith’s overdone theme about the brutal, unforgiving nature of the West. Unfortunately, this leads to a feeling of tedium, as the narrative fails to engage beyond its grim premise.
