'Dark Matter' Review: Jennifer Connelly's massive talent is wasted in done-to-death sci-fi plot
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS: Our hopes were high when Joel Edgerton and Jennifer Connelly were introduced as lead cast of Apple TV+'s 'Dark Matter'.
Connelly won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress in 'A Beautiful Mind' (2001). Her further appearances in films such as 'Hulk' (2003), 'He's Just Not That Into You' (2009), and 'Top Gun: Maverick' (2022) have time and again proved her grip over tough roles.
And yet, Apple TV+ miserably fails to exploit her talent and charm with a poorly written character.
'Dark Matter' loses its charm with dragged-on narrative
Honestly, 'Dark Matter' starts on an intriguing note. Jason Dessen is a Physics professor, who lives an ordinary life in Chicago. He is a loving husband and a doting father.
His fate changes when he is mysteriously abducted by his alternate self and is transported to another reality. The first two episodes retain our attention as we wonder about Jason Dessen's next course of action. However, somewhere in the middle, the series turns into a disappointment.
We are made to watch Jason travel to multiple realities for four episodes before he finds his OG reality. It lays unnecessary focus on showing us the parallel worlds instead of focusing on what actually matters.
Nine hour-long episodes for a 350-page book seem excessive. It also spends a lot of time explaining the concept of multiverse in an era where audiences are already acquainted with it, thanks to DC, Marvel, and other franchises. The story could easily be condensed into five episodes.
'Dark Matter' falters with familiar plot
The multiverse concept in 'Dark Matter' isn’t unique. It has been extensively exploited in several films and TV shows for decades, with Apple TV+'s 'Constellation' being the latest example that dances on the exact same plot.
The only thing that differs in 'Dark Matter' is the angle of how consciousness affects the universe at a quantum level.
"Are you happy with your life?" the series asks in the first episode itself and thus begins the journey of divergent choices and subsequent regret.
If these questions and themes resonate with you, then 'Dark Matter' will likely captivate you over its nine-episode-long run.
The visual effects aren't as appealing as we had expected from an Apple TV+ show.
Joel Edgerton excels in dual roles in 'Dark Matter'
Joel Edgerton carries the show on his shoulders, portraying two different versions of the same man.
On one hand, he is a hopeless family man, desperate to return home. On the other hand, he plays an accomplished physicist who regrets his past choices and makes evil decisions to eventually mess up the entire multiverse.
Edgerton succeeds in portraying the core of these characters efficiently without any change in physical appearance.
Sadly, Jennifer Connelly, who plays his wife, Daniela Dessen, doesn't charm us at all, owing to the lack of emotional depth in her character. It's a shame how in none of the realities you would feel drawn to her.
Even Amanda Brugel's character Blair Caplan holds more weight in her restricted appearance than the entire role of Connelly's character.
Alice Braga as Amanda Lucas is a breath of fresh air in the narrative and makes the most lovable character of all.
Despite the flaws, the show’s strength lies in its emotional core, exploring fear and subconscious desires within the multiverse. It highlights that healthy relationships are built on both significant and seemingly insignificant actions that convey genuine care.
While it’s not groundbreaking, it's still watchable if you have nothing else on. But don’t expect it to be on the level of 'Severance', '3 Body Problem', or 'Shōgun'.
'Dark Matter' is available to stream on Apple TV+