American Primeval Review: A Western Series Released On Netflix 9 January 2025 That Fails Its Mark

American Primeval

Director: Mark L. Smith

Editor's Rating:
3

Pros

• Stunning cinematography and authentic period settings.
• Intense and well-choreographed action scenes.
• A talented cast with commendable performances.
• Moments of visual brilliance that capture the brutality of frontier life.

Cons

• Predictable and repetitive storyline.
• Underdeveloped character arcs.
• Music occasionally overpowers key scenes.
• Fails to bring innovation to the Western genre.

American Primeval aims to revive the gritty Western genre with its sprawling narrative and rugged aesthetics. You may have been waiting for another frontier story to come along if you long for a time when men were men and men were determined to kill each other, when there was no indoor plumbing and lots of whisky. Here comes the new Netflix show Western American Primeval, whose characters have to deal with a lot of violence and hardship. The last episode of this six-episode series doesn’t really build up the characters enough for it to pay off, but the story of a harsh land and even harsher people will make you sweat.

Around 1857, in the Utah Territory, U.S. troops fight the Mormon militia and native tribes fight the invading frontiersmen. There is a lot of fighting going on at the same time. Mother and son Sara (Betty Gilpin, who is riveting) and Devin (Preston Mota) are caught in the middle. They are coming from the northeast to see Devin’s father. They meet a young Mormon couple, the owner of a fort, a mute Shoshone girl, and a crazy man named Isaac Reed (Jake Gyllenhaal, who is very cool).

American Primeval follows the stories of all of these characters and more. It also gets involved in politics after the Mormon militia attacks a group of travellers and tries to hide their involvement in the crime by saying there are no witnesses left alive. That does sound like a lot to fit into six episodes, and you’re right! Friday Night Lights director Peter Berg and Twisters screenwriter Mark L. Smith stubbornly lead us up snowy mountains and into desert camps, showing that ambition is both their best quality and their biggest flaw.

The fact that the cast is so good helps. Gilpin gets a lot of attention as Sara, whose unwavering love for her son often turns into stubbornness and causes problems between her and Isaac. Some of the supporting actors who really stand out are Saura Lightfoot-Leon as Abish, a Mormon wife who is both angry and confused, and Shea Whigham as Jim Bridger, a smart but messy landowner. Dane Dehaan, who plays Jacob, Abish’s husband who is becoming more and more crazy, should be praised for acting through a lot of fake blood for most of the show.

Too much cinematography and choppy pacing, on the other hand, ruin such a good setup. Shots where the camera is at strange angles or too close to get a full picture of what’s going on ruin great performances. If you thought there was too much shaky cam in the TV show of Friday Night Lights, thank goodness the small, off-field drama didn’t happen on horses. Either there are too many characters or not enough episodes for this story to go deep. This is especially clear in the finale, where a big emotional change doesn’t work.

Where To Watch American Primeval Series?

American Primeval is an American Western television miniseries created by Mark L. Smith that was released on January 9, 2025 on Netflix.

American Primeval Verdict

There are good actors and a big story in american primeval, so it’s worth watching. But you might feel like you got less than you expected. Even with an all-star cast and an interesting historical setting, an epic story like this can’t be pinned down, especially when the camerawork is so distracting. Netflix could have really hit it big if they had either used more limited storytelling or given the shows more time and less rushed frames.

Also Read: Bandidos Season 2 Recap: A Thrilling Breakdown of Episodes 1-7