disappointment media
  • Home
  • Reviews
  • Interviews
  • The Snake Hole
  • About

DEAD RINGERS -- A Sexy, Fun Thriller With a Never-Better Rachel Weisz

4/17/2023

0 Comments

 
Review by Sean Boelman
Picture
Taking a classic movie and modernizing it as a series is a challenge because of the substantially longer format. The new Prime Video series Dead Ringers overcomes that obstacle, not just because it is a career-best outing for the phenomenal Rachel Weisz, but also because it is a tense, sensual, and fun thriller the likes of which we have not seen in a while.

The show is a gender-swapped remake of the 1988 David Cronenberg film of the same name, itself based on the novel Twins by Bari Wood and Jack Geasland. It follows two identical twin gynecologists whose unorthodox and precisely-orchestrated life is threatened when one of them falls in love with an actress to the chagrin of the other.

Of course, the highlight of this show — and the main reason for it to exist — is the extraordinary dual performance by Weisz. Jeremy Irons’s take on the roles in Cronenberg’s film is pretty iconic, so Weisz had quite the challenge on her plate. She more than delivers, giving two performances that are each extraordinary: one big and sinister, and the other quiet and sly. It’s clear that Weisz is having a blast on this project, and that feeling is absolutely infectious.

The show offers some themes, both expected and unexpected. It’s no surprise that the central dilemma in the show revolves around the idea of playing god, a concept which has seemingly been omnipresent in medical horror since the genre’s inception. However, the gender-swapping of the roles allows the show to offer a much more intriguing exploration of femininity and womanhood than its counterpart.
Picture
Dead Ringers manages to be one of the sexiest shows on streaming right now. Not only does the series contain an unexpectedly large amount of sex scenes, but it also just radiates confidence in its sexuality. And yet, it also feels like there is a much greater purpose to the show’s sexuality than titillation. Especially in the back half of the series, the characters and show use the idea of sexuality to provoke thought in fascinating ways.

The show is also extremely suspenseful, with the last two episodes in particular being especially unsettling. Although the show isn’t exactly body horror, there are some portions that are likely to be too much for those who are squeamish, including some graphic and bloody scenes of surgical procedures.

Still, the effects for these more violent/gory moments are undeniably impressive in a way that is sure to be unsettling even for those with a tougher stomach. As a whole, the series is quite strong on a visual level, with a sleek style and poppy soundtrack that give the whole affair a feeling of energy and fun that is quite effective.

Dead Ringers is one of the few remakes that manages to actually work because it takes the concept and does something fresh and original with it. Throw in a performance by Rachel Weisz that is truly an all-timer, and you have another win for streaming in the first months of 2023.

Dead Ringers streams on Prime Video beginning April 21. All six episodes reviewed.

Rating: 5/5
               
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Archives

    May 2025
    April 2025
    March 2025
    February 2025
    January 2025
    December 2024
    November 2024
    October 2024
    July 2024
    June 2024
    May 2024
    April 2024
    March 2024
    February 2024
    January 2024
    December 2023
    November 2023
    October 2023
    September 2023
    August 2023
    July 2023
    June 2023
    May 2023
    April 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019

    Authors

    All
    Adam Donato
    Alan French
    Allison Brown
    Borja Izuzquiz
    Camden Ferrell
    Cole Groth
    Daniel Lima
    Dan Skip Allen
    Erin M. Brady
    Jonathan Berk
    Joseph Fayed
    Josh Batchelder
    Paris Jade
    Rafael Motamayor
    Sarah Williams
    Sean Boelman
    Tatiana Miranda

disappointment media

Dedicated to unique and diverse perspectives on cinema!
  • Home
  • Reviews
  • Interviews
  • The Snake Hole
  • About