Sins of the father
WITH his wild curly hair and glint in his eye, Michael Sheen is the serial killer we never knew we needed.
In this pacy US thriller, Sheen goes all Hannibal Lecter, all but licking his lips from a prison cell as a scary psychopath.
He plays Martin Whitly, otherwise known as ‘The Surgeon’, responsible for at least 23 murders during which he used his medical skills to kill people in the most agonising way possible.
It’s both a psychological drama and action-packed cop show, beginning in 1998 when Whitly is arrested for his crimes.
He tells his son Malcolm: “Listen to me. You’re my son and I love you. We’re the same.” Then he flashes a big toothy terrifying grin. It’s enough to make you shudder.
In the present day, the adult
Malcolm is understandably suffering from a smidge of PTSD and a few daddy issues. In a neat twist, he’s working as a forensic profiler for the police. As detectives with dodgy pasts go, this is up there.
Malcolm, played by Tom Payne, obviously has impressive inside knowledge about psychopaths and in ‘Benedict Cumberbatch does Sherlock’ style can solve a crime in minutes.
It’s the cast, including Scandal’s brilliant Bellamy Young as Malcolm’s mother, that elevates this from mundane cop show to sparkling thriller.
Sheen’s scenes as the homicidal maniac are the standout moments, but they are not overplayed.
Meanwhile, viewers will wonder if Malcolm has inherited more than just an intense mood...
It all makes for bonkers, funny, grisly viewing.