What do we truly seek from war stories? This is the central question posed by the latest five-part adaptation of Richard Flanagan’s Booker Prize-winning novel, The Narrow Road to the Deep North. As World War Two veteran Dorrigo Evans (played by Ciarán Hinds) prepares for a book launch speech, he reflects that audiences crave tales “of heroism and mateship,” while he would rather offer them “the truth.”
While mainstream culture often romanticises war through an “inspirational” lens, cinema has long countered this with stark portrayals of its brutal realities, from Apocalypse Now to All Quiet on the Western Front. This miniseries, though not entirely radical in that regard, delivers a visually striking, emotionally wrenching experience. Based on the first two episodes premiered at the Berlin Film Festival, the series appears set to be a shell-shocking masterpiece – and a career-defining performance for Jacob Elordi, who continues to make carefully curated acting choices following his work in Euphoria, Sofia Coppola’s Priscilla, and Paul Schrader’s Master Gardener.
From its opening moments, the series firmly establishes its tone. Set in Syria in 1941, the sequence follows a group of Australian soldiers engaging in casual banter when a sudden bomb blast gruesomely kills one of them – as well as a young Syrian child. Director Justin Kurzel, known for Snowtown and True History of the Kelly Gang, uses tight, disorienting camerawork and a colour-drained visual palette to fully immerse viewers in the horror of war.
The narrative unfolds across three timelines. First, we see young Dorrigo (Elordi) in 1940, stationed in Adelaide for military training, where he falls into a passionate but forbidden romance with his uncle’s young wife, Amy (Odessa Young). Then, in 1943, Dorrigo is imprisoned in the Thai jungle, among thousands of Australian soldiers forced by the Japanese to construct Burma’s infamous “Death Railway.” Finally, in 1989, we meet the older Dorrigo (Hinds), now a successful surgeon in a seemingly content marriage, yet unable to escape the traumatic memories of war. As he puts it, he is haunted by “the strange, terrible never-ending-ness of human beings” – a sentiment that underscores the series’ thematic depth.
Where the series is most definitive in its moral clarity is in depicting the inescapable brutality endured by the prisoners of war. These sequences showcase Kurzel’s prowess as a filmmaker, crafting moments of harrowing intensity. One particularly powerful scene sees dehydrated prisoners, crammed into a truck, stretching out their tongues ecstatically to catch raindrops trickling through the slats. Yet, despite the dire circumstances, the camaraderie between soldiers is vividly captured – crude jokes and makeshift comedy routines become their means of survival amidst unrelenting hardship.
The portrayal of Japanese captors is complex. While some are unambiguously cruel – a senior officer chillingly describes beheading a prisoner as both “euphoric and horrible” – there is nuance in the characterisation of a young, conflicted major. It remains to be seen how the perspective of the captors evolves throughout the series.
However, The Narrow Road to the Deep North is not solely about war. It is equally a love story, and the romance between Dorrigo and Amy carries as much weight as the wartime narrative. The chemistry between Elordi and Young is electric, with Young delivering a performance that radiates wisdom and self-awareness beyond her years. Meanwhile, Elordi has never been more compelling on screen. Returning to both the small screen and his native Australia, he captivates with a reserved yet deeply expressive performance, conveying his character’s buried pain and longing through subtle gestures and fleeting glances. In the older timeline, Hinds is equally exceptional, bringing gravitas to a man burdened by the ghosts of his past.
Visually, the miniseries is stunning, with cinematography that captures both the raw savagery of war and the intimate beauty of stolen moments of love. The use of light and shadow, combined with a haunting score, adds to the emotional weight of the story. The production design authentically reconstructs the harrowing conditions of the Thai prison camps, further immersing viewers in the historical setting.
While it remains to be seen whether the series fully captures the novel’s rich narrative depth, the first two episodes suggest an adaptation that honours its source material while standing on its own as a masterful work of television. By balancing the horrors of war with the poignancy of human connection, the miniseries offers a profound meditation on survival, sacrifice, and the enduring impact of love and trauma.
In The Narrow Road to the Deep North, war is neither glorified nor reduced to mere spectacle. Instead, it is presented in all its complexity, revealing both the depths of human cruelty and the resilience of the human spirit. With powerful performances, evocative direction, and a gripping narrative, this miniseries is poised to be one of the most talked-about television events of the year.
