What can you be pushed into doing? Given the right set of circumstances, do you have the same pressure points and/or weaknesses as anybody you’ve criticized for being weak? I’d like to say the answer is “no,” but the truth is I think I might be compromise-able depending on what strings are pulled. Oh, damned if I’m telling you; don’t be coy.
This is essentially the premise of Luther: The Fallen Sun, a criminal procedure in which the supervillain does almost none of the dirty work himself; he just knows exactly what buttons to press to get others to do it for him.
The film opens with a teen brazenly abandoning his post as a night janitor because a caller told him that if he didn’t his secret would be revealed to all his contacts. What was that secret? No idea, but if I had to guess, it involved fudging something on the yearbook page for the volleyball team. Within minutes, the teen is abducted, and later killed in semi-public fashion; our villain (Andy Serkis) is a serious piece of crap.
Meanwhile, rogue cop Luther (Idris Elba) has to be dealt with or he’ll solve the case. Turns out the same guy who has an ability to get a random kid to show up at a midnight car accident also has the ability to manipulate investigations, evidence, and courts, all of which are instrumental in getting Luther sent away while our villain sets up his next big public execution.
Well, that’s quite a dilemma, huh? There’s a madman creating mass murder and the officer most able to deal with him is now a convicted and incarcerated felon. I’m guessing something happens between now and the end of the film because otherwise, the next season of “Luther” is going to be pretty dull.
I’m more-or-less positive on the hero, the villain, and the premise of this film. None of it is perfect, of course. For decades, crime films have indulged in criminality inspired by a pressure campaign rather than simply pure evil. Luther: The Fallen Sun, however takes puppet mastery next level. Little of the criminal action in the plot is done first hand by genuine criminals; it’s all somebody forced to do something they’d otherwise not do just to keep something else suppressed. It doesn’t always work; it CAN’T always work, but 
finding the puppet master is a decent plot, even if recycled.
I don’t think history will be kind to Idris Elba. I’ve made this point before, but bears repeating because Idris continues to be among the greatest future uncelebrated talents of the present generation. This has nothing to do with looks or talent or personality. I think history ignores all three and before I get loads of protest, I point to Hedy Lamarr as the primary; she’s the only data point I need to present my case. Here’s what history remembers: Actor X had an undeniably unique (and generally outstanding) performance/moment OR Actor X was instrumental in film/TV series Y which everybody saw.
So far, I’m not seeing either as applicable to Idris Elba. He’s been a several really great productions: “The Wire”, “The Office”, Thor … have you seen “The Wire?” Can you honestly say many of us have? Can you remember him from “The Office?” Was he an instrumental part of any Thor movie? This is the problem with Idris Elba. “Luther” is a pretty good show. Luther: The Fallen Sun is a decent movie. In ten years, are you going to remember either? Will you choose to return to either after they’re done? Will the internet make “Luther” themed memes to describe things? This is exactly what I’m talking about. Now extrapolate to fifty years. Not a long time, just fifty. Many of us will still be around. Name me anything Idris Elba has done that the people of 2073 will go back to enjoy. I don’t see it happening. If Idris is to become a lasting historical figure, the precipitating event hasn’t happened yet.
A rogue cop gets sentenced hard core
And breaks out to do justice once more
Have you thought this one through?
Cuz when you get to part two,
That dude’s in the cell right next door
Rated R, 129 Minutes
Director: Jamie Payne
Writer: Neil Cross
Genre: Movies that make you despise humanity
Type of being most likely to enjoy this film: Puzzle solvers
Type of being least likely to enjoy this film: “If you want something done right, do it yourself” supervillains
