The meditative and epic “warlord” of Apple TV + requests to be seen | TV / Streaming

Like many good stories, the new historical drama of Apple TV + “Chef of War” begins with an old prophecy: “A star with a feathered cape will signal the rise of a great king, who will unite the kingdoms and will end the era of war.” Taking up at the end of the 18th century, when the land which is currently called the Hawaiian islands was intact, the series focused on four kingdoms which were held alone: the kingdom of O’hu, the kingdom of Maui, the kingdom of Kaua’i, and the kingdom of Hawai’i. In the center of these islands is Kaʻiana (Jason Momoa), a warrior who, initially from Maui, sought refuge in Kaua’i, and who resides with his two brothers. They cultivated a languid life, chasing sharks and finding love, extremely different from the existence they lived before.

This peace is threatened when a horn passes in front of the banks of the water, signaling the presence of a Maui ship, and the powerful King Kahekili (Temuera Morrison), who is also Kaʻiana’s uncle. He announced that the LEDs of Maui have planned a great threat that will ensure their people under the reign of O’hu, and with an army larger than theirs, they need the help of Kaʻiana to stop this invasion. Kahekili believes that this imminent war could inaugurate the old prophecy that their people have waited and sees themselves as the potential king to unite each kingdom. Seeing his nephew has built a life away from the war, there is only one route that he deems good to take to convince him.

“The prophecy does not predict the rise of a king. He predicts the birth of a moment. ” With this declaration of her uncle, Kaʻiana takes up arms and proposes that they invade O’hu before before the kingdom could even strike Maui. It quickly became obvious, however, that perhaps these lights were incorrect, the king of Oahu being older than a child, and the justice of Kahekili moving in him just before the eyes of his family. In an attempt to light the prophecy himself, the king seeks to use the prowess of his nephew in the battle to inaugurate the rise of their people and the desecration of others.

This is where the series raises a question that lays the basics of the series: are our decisions really ours? Or are they dictated by gods and invisible men and women that we hold near? At the heart of these questions is a dialogue written in an expert way which has the talent to disarm you with each declaration, affirmation and secret pronounced from the mouth of these characters. Usually, a series like this would eventually abandon dialogue for extended action sequences. Although these exist here, the show never moves away from simply capturing two people who speak to each other. Not since the first seasons of “Game of Thrones”, the writing was so exciting to listen and consume, recently competed by “interview with The Vampire”.

The conversations are rich and in layers, with a story widely unknown to viewers, causing inflections of the past and the future with each passing word. They are delivered by each actor of the series with a ferocity which gives an exhilarating weight even to the simplest lines. While the show has an engaging overall distribution, two performers stand out among the many revealing performances. The first is Luciane Buchanan as Kaʻahumanu, who becomes intertwined with the story of Kaʻiana when she helps her family prepare after Kahekili’s men attacked them. A priestess tells her that she “breaks this world”, inaugurating a path of destruction, which is preparing in mind throughout the series. The second is Brandon Finn, who plays Prince Kūpule, Kahekili’s son. While he slowly wary the growing madness of his father, Finn shines like a torn man between duty, morality and even his ambitions.

Like the artists who adorn the screen, the series is designed with an overwhelming perspective of wonder and wealth. From its first minutes to its cataclysmic finish, the production value is vast. Magnificent exterior shots show us mountains, water and a sparkling sky with stars, transforming this spectacle into one of the prettiest series of the decade. The lighting is particularly phenomenal, with green trees and shiny brushes under the sun, captured by the camera with celestial light. At a time when cinema and television are becoming more and more visually dull each year, “War Chief” stands out among the colorless projects that dominate our cultural landscape.

A feat of shows and a work of rich characters, the series sags a little in the middle before ending with a finish which cannot be useless. In a world where historical stories often leave people who have experienced these stories outside the fold, it boldly demands the eyes of an audience that becomes more apathetic each year. Not wanting to abandon its meditative history for noisy action sequences or lighting performances, the series takes time in a landscape that feels the need to rush through these tales. The “warlord” forces his audience to count with his languid narration process and the stories he teaches, demanding to be seen in a genre that foreigners often dominate.

All the episodes were projected for examination. Now on Apple TV +.