‘The Peripheral’ – Review
Series after series, Prime Video is proving to be the place to go for the most original and daring content on streaming television, and a bold new vision of science-fiction is brought to life in The Peripheral.
Set in the future when technology has subtly altered society, a woman discovers a secret connection to an alternate reality as well as a dark future of her own.
Adapting acclaimed science fiction writer William Gibson’s mind-bending novel of virtual reality, the future and cybernetic espionage for the small screen is a massive task for series showrunner Scott B. Smith and executive producers Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy, the acclaimed creators of Westworld, and this trio of creatives craft something truly spectacular for Prime Video with The Peripheral. Set in both the near and far future, The Peripheral is a bold vision of science-fiction, and with its mix of genre and stunning world-building, it draws you in right from the start. Balancing both ideas of soft and hard sci-fi, The Peripheral will have the minds of its audiences ticking away, and moment by moment the excitement quickly revs up.
Central to this smart, slick and twisting science-fiction story is Chloë Grace Moretz as Flynne Fisher, a talented tech-minded young woman, and gamer, who soon finds herself drawn into the morally dark world of a corrupted future. And this is again a radically different performance for the young actress. In the role of Flynne, Moretz gets to straddle multiple sides of an extremely complex character and she goes on quite a journey in a series that swings for the fences with every scene. Moment by moment we see different layers of Flynne revealed, and in this complex narrative Moretz gets to play up different aspects of her role as a performer, and the result leads to a radically different style of performance.
Standing next to Moretz’s Flynne in The Peripheral is Jack Reynor as her dodgy brother Burton. A former Marine with extreme PTSD and multiple physical issues, Reynor’s Burton is a complex character, and he has a pivotal role to play in this series. On a performance front, Reynor gets to take on a very slick role in this story, and he’s physically put to the test in multiple episodes. The intensity is dialled up again and again, and Reynor charges into the fray every chance he gets with The Peripheral.
As a visual experience, The Peripheral is unlike anything audiences have experienced on Prime Video and its originality, production design, costuming and cinematography paint a portrait of a future that is beyond anything you could imagine. Regarded as the ‘godfather of cyberpunk’, the visuals of William Gibson’s world-building are brought to life with amazing clarity and expression in The Peripheral. And this is one slick show. With an ode to the spy genre, The Peripheral is a glamorous and intoxicating experience to watch, and its visuals will raise your adrenaline up.
We’re only at the start of this mind-bending series, but you’ll feel your neurons firing with each moment that you get to witness on screen. Strikingly glossy, and incredibly thoughtful in its expression, The Peripheral is something utterly different for Prime Video viewers, and you’ll be in for one hell of a rush with this series.
The Peripheral is currently streaming on Prime Video.
Image: Prime Video
