Copenhagen Cowboy

Fortunately, that means all 6 episodes of 'Copenhagen Cowboy' are gorgeous to behold even when the narrative is seemingly skimming the borders of interesting areas to explore (and subsequently explain).

Anyone familiar with the director's oeuvre will know what to expect, but he still manages to bring something fresh to each episode with trademark camera flair. Tracking shots and slow pans are good, and I particularly liked his use of the 360 degree camera; it stylishly captured conversations, environments, and specific events with a smoothness that lulled you into acceptance of the show's pacing.

I'm not sure I understood everything the story was trying to do, especially in the final episode where it took on more Lynchian dreamlike qualities with supernatural flourishes, but there was always good moments sprinkled throughout, and the visuals were never less than stunning. Neon-drenched might sound cliche, but it's apt for describing Winding Refn's affinity for lighting a scene with almost otherworldly bluish hues and moody reds. Combine this with a synth score that always seems to be evolving from episode to episode and it's hard not to become enraptured by the audiovisual experience on offer. It's a tidal wave of style, so just sit back and ride it, basically.

So the cinematography, soundtrack, and stately pace are all signature elements of the director, but what about the ultra-violence so common in his work? It's graphic on occasion, but nothing like we've seen before. However, the fight sequences, though brief, are great. The choreography is simple, elegant, and augmented by the sound design, while the characters fight almost robotically. It's different, but also effective, and suits the characters involved as they are all quite emotionally reserved. Plus that final fight in the finale is arguably one of the most stylish sequences I've seen for some time; the way the sound design is integrated and the way the lighting enhances the framing is glorious.

Overall, 'Copenhagen Cowboy' leaves its narrative wide open for a second season it probably won't get, which is a shame, because even though I didn't love this, there's much to like, and certainly room to improve. Nicolas Winding Refn shows off everything that makes him a uniquely stylish director in the industry, imbuing every frame with something entrancing to soak in and showing real quality with use of camera, and though the story needed more work, there's few series's out there that look and sound this good.

7/10.

This incoherent mini-series could easily have been a 90 minute movie and we wouldn't have missed any story elements. It would have been fast paced, but you wouldn't feel the urge to hit the fast-forward button, as I did.

There's a not a lot that make sense in 'Copenhagen Cowboy'. We are introduced to a wide array of characters who are somehow all connected and tied to the underworld, but most character arcs are left uncompleted. In the center of it all there's the emotionless protagonist with zero chemistry.

It's a shame that NWR focuses more on cool-looking neonlit shots, and slow moving 360 degree pans than telling an engaging story, because I prefer substance over style. Style should be the icing on the cake and serve the story, not the opposite.

Ambitious miniseries with beautiful shots throughout and atmospheric lighting. The neon lights, production value and overly long silences were the highlights of the series. I was pulled into a strange world where I absolutely couldn't tell where it was going. The first two episodes require patience, however once you are into the story, Copenhagen Cowboy is something new and engaging.

The colours and cinematography are beautiful in a harsh environment. It's slow - sometimes very slow - but once you enter the meditative state, it makes sense. Though it has dark storytelling and violent characters, there's ample of hope and kindness involved as well.

The technical brilliance in the direction, cinematography and score can't really be denied. The reliance on specific shots - static camera, 360 degree pans, slow zoom is highly effective and everything is calculated to build maximum tension.

However, I feel like, it could easily have been a 2 hour film instead of a miniseries as it would've been fast paced and wouldn't even miss any story elements.

I love the films and television of Nicholas Winding Refn and within one episode I was fully back in his neon soaked, grimy, atmospheric world of static tableaux, the worst humans imaginable, extended circular pans and long signature pauses between speech or action.

I sometimes wonder if his effectively borderline mute protagonists are a direct criticism of people who use words too freely with no consideration.

As the mass Netflix crowd slowly find this I'm certainly expecting a slew of downvoting to occur and all the usual complaints about camerawork, lack of story, slowness and how quickly people fell asleep.

I hate these tragic people and equate them with the targets of Refn's scorn. The low, emotionally impotent, the unthinking and in this case thematically, the ultimate bottom-feeders, the pigs.

Basically if you like his previous work you will most likely love this too. It's been so long since the awesome Too Old to Die Young and you can see that he has certainly put those 4 years to good use.

A fascinating production that requires some perseverance by the viewer. Be prepared for a very meticulously filmed story that takes some time to more or less fully understand. The pace is slow in every aspect: in dialogue, in plot development and in cinematography. Acting is very minimalistic and retained and melts beautifully with the way scenes are filmed. The story has as much importance as the visual experience.

This series is definitely not for the impatient ones who expect an easy to swallow, quickly paced story. However, if you're ready to have some patience, are able to accept that not everything will ever become fully clear and are open to this kind of cinema, this may just be right for you. A gem in Netflix productions.