The Sandman review: Neil Gaiman’s ‘unfilmable’ comic book comes to Netflix
For the most part this is as ‘authentic an adaptation’ as might be expected
“The Sandman has long been perceived as the ultimate ‘unfilmable’ comic book,” said Ed Power in The Daily Telegraph. Neil Gaiman’s opus, which was published by DC Comics from 1989 to 1996, surfs a zigzag, “dreamlike logic”; its characters “hopscotch between timelines”; and its “sheer 80s goth glumness leaves no space for Marvel-type quips”. Yet these qualities have miraculously been preserved in Netflix’s “gripping” ten-part series, developed by Gaiman and David S. Goyer.
In a cast that is “the stuff of dreams”, Tom Sturridge plays the mooching Sandman himself, an immortal who rules over the realm of dreams until he is captured by wizard Roderick Burgess (Charles Dance). From there, the action “leaps all over the place – spanning time, dimensions and genre”; and the result, for the most part, “is as authentic an adaptation as might be reasonably expected. For Gaiman fans, it’s finally game on.”
The “mood lighting” and portentous tone can get wearying, said Hugo Rifkind in The Times. But it’s “slick and extremely beautiful”, and once Jenna Coleman arrives it starts to feel a bit like Doctor Who, “but smarter”. I have not read the comics, but if it carries on in this vein, “I’m in”. I found the whole thing “underwhelming”, said Dan Einav in the FT. Subplots aren’t fleshed out properly, and dialogue is limited to functional statements in which characters bluntly state who they are and what they intend to do. Still, it is fitting that a show “about the ‘king of dreams’ seems so well equipped to send viewers to sleep.”
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Shardlake: a 'tightly plotted, gorgeously atmospheric piece of television'
The Week Recommends Arthur Hughes captivates in this 'eminently watchable' Tudor murder mystery
By Irenie Forshaw, The Week UK Published
-
Major League Baseball is facing an epidemic of pitcher's injuries
Under the Radar Many insiders are blaming the pitch clock for the rise in injuries — but the league is not so sure
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
8 movie musicals that prove the screen can share the stage
The Week Recommends The singing and dancing, bigger than life itself
By Scott Hocker, The Week US Published
-
Daniel Wallace's 5 favorite books that should not be forgotten
Feature The author recommends works by Italo Calvino, Evan S. Connell, and more
By The Week US Published
-
6 picturesque homes in Arizona
Feature Featuring a glass elevator in Sedona and a grotto waterfall in Paradise Valley
By The Week Staff Published
-
Silversea cruise review: a Central and North American adventure
The Week Recommends An incredible journey featuring cultural exploration, cooking classes, comfort and more
By Yasemen Kaner-White Published
-
Baffin Island: looking for narwhal in Arctic Canada
The Week Recommends An exploration of this island between mainland Canada and Greenland is ideal for the adventurous at heart
By The Week UK Published
-
Knife: Salman Rushdie's 'mesmeric memoir' of brutal attack
The Week Recommends The author's account of ordeal which cost him his eye is both 'scary and heartwarming'
By The Week Staff Published
-
Sarah Langan recommends 6 women-centric horror books
Feature The horror novelist recommends works by Stephen King, Gillian Flynn, and more
By The Week US Published
-
6 spacious homes for car lovers
Feature Featuring a 14-car showroom in Oregon and a Bentley-style apartment in Florida
By The Week Staff Published
-
6 serene homes in Vermont
Features Featuring a four-level Shaker barn in Hartland and a Scandinavian-inspired home in Stowe
By The Week US Published