This was a very enjoyable film - and surely the curtain-raiser for a series. The mystery was exactly the type of slightly preposterous story that the John Thaw's Morse routinely solved, and the older cast members were a solidly reliable group of familiar faces in familiar roles, such as Patrick Malahide as a slimy upper-class person. Roger Allam was very good as the experienced detective who backs Morse.
Does Shaun Evans make the grade? He has a tough act to follow. I think he just about does. If we had never seen John Thaw as Morse, there could be nothing but applause for his performance as the clever, but still somewhat unsure, young detective. I am well aware that, in interviews, actors speak with horror of imitating anybody. They always say they want to make the role "their own". Hm. Personally, I wish Evans had done a bit more imitating. For one thing, I think we needed a bit more of the casual exasperated arrogance of Morse and less of the eager puppy.
There were two moving moments for me: when he tells the opera singer how listening to her taught him that there is beauty in the world and when he looks into the rear view mirror just before the credits roll (I won't say more).
It is great that Max the grumpy pathologist is already in action, and the actor is very good in the part.
One niggle: Morse insists that he doesn't drink - until he is ordered to have a beer after fainting - whereupon he instantly starts guzzling the stuff like a binge drinker. A small niggle, but a bit crass.
Overall it was very good and I thoroughly recommend it.
Does Shaun Evans make the grade? He has a tough act to follow. I think he just about does. If we had never seen John Thaw as Morse, there could be nothing but applause for his performance as the clever, but still somewhat unsure, young detective. I am well aware that, in interviews, actors speak with horror of imitating anybody. They always say they want to make the role "their own". Hm. Personally, I wish Evans had done a bit more imitating. For one thing, I think we needed a bit more of the casual exasperated arrogance of Morse and less of the eager puppy.
There were two moving moments for me: when he tells the opera singer how listening to her taught him that there is beauty in the world and when he looks into the rear view mirror just before the credits roll (I won't say more).
It is great that Max the grumpy pathologist is already in action, and the actor is very good in the part.
One niggle: Morse insists that he doesn't drink - until he is ordered to have a beer after fainting - whereupon he instantly starts guzzling the stuff like a binge drinker. A small niggle, but a bit crass.
Overall it was very good and I thoroughly recommend it.