Review: The Rain

Alba August in The Rain

The Rain is an 8 part Danish sci-fi thriller about a rain-borne virus that wiped out much of the population of Scandinavia, and perhaps the entire world. I’m not aware of a 2nd season, but the ending left the idea open.

The Rain is tense and drags you along for a binge watch, but be aware that there are maddening gaps in the logic of the world created in the story. The rains kills you, except when it doesn’t. You can touch the immune character, except when you can’t. If you get annoyed by plots that don’t abide by their own internal rules, then this series will drive you nuts.

I watched it all. The acting was very good, the music made the series exciting, and the sets and props were all well done.

In the beginning we are with a family. The father Frederik (Lars Simonsen) gives his 10 year old son injections over the objections of his wife Ellen (Iben Hjejle). Iben Hjejle’s image was used in the advertising. Since she’s a favorite from Dicte I was excited to see her in The Rain. Alas, she was only in one episode.

Back to the story. One day Frederik grabs his teenage daughter Simone (Alba August) and his son Rasmus (Bertil De Lorenzi at age ten, Lucas Lynggaard Tønnesen at age 16) and rushes them into an underground bunker. He tells them to stay there until he gets back. He tells Simone to protect Rasmus at all costs because he is the key to everything. They are kids and they are stupid, but they do wait for 6 years.  At the end of 6 years they run out of food. They still had clean water and power after 6 years, which was questionable to me.

When they venture out they find a strange world where the rain is still deadly and nearly everyone is dead. They join a group of survivors who take them into their group because Simone knows where all the other bunkers with their promise of stored food are located.

The story carries strong reminders of The Walking Dead. Survivors of an apocalypse who wander through a dangerous and strange deserted world. When people are scared and hungry, all their worst instincts come out. But The Rain is nowhere near as violent, brutal and bloody as The Walking Dead. And, no zombies.

Alba August, Angela Bundalovic, Mikkel Boe Følsgaard, Lucas Lynggaard Tønnesen, Sonny Lindberg, Jessica Dinnage, and Lukas Løkken in The Rain
From left to right: Lea, Simone, Rasmus, Martin, Jean, Patrick, and Bea

Alba August is the star of the series, even after Simone and Rasmus join the others. They are lead by Martin (Mikkel Boe Følsgaard). He has a gun. He quickly gives some of the control to Simone because she has information they need. They all agree to join Simone and Rasmus in looking for their father, after they find clues to his whereabouts in the first bunker they visit.

Patrick (Lukas Løkken), Bea (Angela Bundalovic), Lea (Jessica Dinnage), and Jean (Sonny Lindberg) complete the group. Among this group subplots around romance, coming of age, rivalry, jealousy, loyalty and family ties add to the action.

Lucas Lynggaard Tønnesen in The Rain
A petulant teenager is the key to everything. Oh, great.

The group spends the remainder of the episodes traveling toward where they hope to find Frederik and safety. Along the way they encounter an assortment of other survivors: soldiers (called The Strangers), cult people, kind people, and dangerous people. We get characters’ backstories as they progress toward their goal. There’s an interesting mix of excitement and quiet lulls. The episodes are not a full hour so they roll by quickly.

Natasha Arthy co-directed 4 episodes, with Kenneth Kainz directing all 8. The series is in Danish with English subtitles.

If you watched The Rain, I’d love to hear what you thought in the comments.

3 thoughts on “Review: The Rain”

  1. This reminds me of the world-wide epidemic that swept the world in 1918. Millions died, and there was nowhere to hide. Whether you got it or not depended on chance. Fear was everywhere. My grandmother and and an aunt (age 4) died, although my mother survived at eighteen months. The flue devastated my family, and the repercussions are still being felt. Although in this movie, they at least the cause, but couldn’t do much about it. I think I’ll pass!

  2. Pingback: Recommended Foreign Language Films and TV Series - Old Ain't Dead

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