By now you’ve heard the good news that Jason Momoa, aka Arthur Curry the Aquaman, is coming to South Africa ahead of his solo film release at the end of the year. While the character has received some harsh criticism over the years and been the butt of many fish jokes, it’s hard to deny that fans are genuinely excited about the upcoming James Wan film. Who would have thought that a film about an underwater hero would become one of the most exciting blockbuster films of the year?
Well, believe it or not, Aquaman isn’t the only underwater being who is making waves this year. With 94% on Rotten Tomatoes, and an average score of 8.0/10, Siren, an awesome new TV series about a creepy mermaid named Ryn has gripped critics. Don’t think Ariel from The Little Mermaid either. This mermaid (or siren) isn’t your friendly ‘Under The Sea’ singing Disney teenage fish out of the water. Instead, this mythological killing machine ditches the clamshell bra, red hair and love-struck eyes for eating rats, attacking sharks and killing humans (when necessary, of course). Basically, the premise is The Little Mermaid meets E.T. as a horror TV show. Watch Now >>
Werewolves, vampires, wizards have been at the forefront of television for years. Now, it’s time for a far less sanitised version of mermaid lore. Combining fantasy with reality, Siren shows the half-human, half-fish beings like we’ve never seen them before. Mermaid and human worlds collide in a small sleepy coastal town called Bristol Cove. When a mermaid is discovered on a small storm-wrecked fishing boat, the local military step in and capture her. Not long after, trouble brews when predatory and otherworldly Ryn (Eline Powell from Game of Thrones) shows up looking for her sister, Donna (Sibongile Mlambo). Along the way, she meets marine biologists Ben (Alex Roe) and Maddie (Fola Evans-Akingbola). Together they try to find out where she came from and why she has left the ocean. Meanwhile, a deep sea fisherman (Ian Verdun) is equally as determined to find out who the ravenous girl is.
Sure, Siren might have all the hallmarks of a teen melodrama (you know, a trendy hook and attractive young stars), but it’s eerie, bloody, grotesque and not overly sexy, like most. The mermaids here aren’t beguiling objects of sexual attraction or little princesses at all. They are aquatic predators. And the show actually seems anti-romantic.
In fact, if you dig a little deeper you might see it all as a metaphor for the current #MeToo movement, especially considering Ryn savagely kills a potential rapist in the first episode.
Yes, I can’t emphasise it enough. This isn’t your typical teen horror show. Like it’s lead character, Siren is something very different. Something unsettling. Something definitely worth watching.
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