Don’t Fall for Untamed’s Killer Opening

by

The opening scene of “Untamed” starts with an impressive panorama, soaring above Yosemite National Park, displaying a vast expanse of sky and untouched wilderness beneath. As we approach, the towering El Capitan comes into view. Two climbers are scaling its face towards the summit when one loses his grip and falls, only to be caught by his partner who supports their combined weight to prevent them from plummeting thousands of feet below. Suddenly, something hurtles towards them from the cliff edge – a corpse, which disintegrates upon impact, pulls the climbers off their safety equipment, and gets entangled in their ropes. “Untamed” dwells on the decaying, bluish body and mutilated limbs, offering a grim contrast to the idea that nature can rejuvenate your mind and body. This chilling introduction sets the series’ most intense tone, but unfortunately, it doesn’t reach these heights in the subsequent six episodes.

Netflix’s recent collaboration with Mark L. Smith, the mind behind this year’s American Primeval and Untamed, seemingly takes us on another journey into America’s untouched landscapes. The words used are telling: ‘Primeval’ and ‘Untamed’, suggesting a raw, unrefined quality. American Primeval lived up to its title with its gritty cinematography drenched in mud and a narrative linking America’s violent past with its expansionist tendencies. Although the script was somewhat generic and the slow-burn romance predictable, the immersive storyline and grandiose visuals drew us into this thoughtful exploration of history. Untamed, on the other hand, lacks ambition. Co-created and co-written by Smith’s daughter Elle Smith, it focuses on a single mystery, a pair of detectives, and a grieving family. The narrative feels shallow, with familiar tropes, and the characters’ motivations are unoriginal. Unlike American Primeval, which challenged its western genre and offered a critique, Untamed is merely a collection of worn-out cop show clichés. What makes it worse is that it could have been set anywhere, offering little insight into America’s public lands, and lacking a deeper understanding or perspective on nature beyond a surface-level “healing” message.

In this series, Eric Bana portrays Kyle Turner, a National Park’s Investigative Services Bureau agent, stationed at over 420 of the 433 national park sites in the U.S. Turner is a rigid and serious law enforcer who remains unfazed by his peers’ disdain; one ranger mockingly dubs him “Gary Cooper,” while the park superintendent finds Turner’s indifference towards promoting the park as safe for tourists irritating. Despite his stoic demeanor, Turner is a dedicated and compassionate individual, as evidenced by his immediate pursuit of poachers in the opening scene, his tender interactions with his son, and his willingness to personally examine a corpse hanging from El Capitan.

Initially, the park administration wishes to downplay an apparent murder case to avoid scaring tourists away from Yosemite. However, Turner is convinced it’s a homicide, and Naya Vasquez (Lily Santiago), a newly assigned park ranger working the case with him, begins to share his belief. As they collaborate to uncover the identity of the deceased young woman and the circumstances surrounding her violent death, Turner imparts his wisdom about the serenity of the park to Vasquez, who gradually softens his hardened exterior, revealing a wounded soul beneath. This partnership ultimately transforms both characters, as their professional bond deepens.

Bana portrays Turner with an authoritative, calm tone that works well when he’s discussing work with Santiago’s Vasquez or Sam Neill as the chief park ranger Paul Souter. However, Bana seems less convincing when asked to shed his stern facade and show vulnerability, which weakens his character development in the latter part of the season. The series, titled Untamed, introduces several typical elements found in police shows within its first six episodes: corrupt cops, government corruption, significant others who are overlooked due to work commitments, an unsolved mystery, and a villain with a gun who can only be stopped by a hero with a gun. While these elements are common in this genre, the main flaw of Untamed is that most of these storylines lack originality and feel generic, especially since the show was not actually filmed at Yosemite National Park, which gives it a less authentic feel.

Watching that opening scene feels remarkably similar to watching the entire series Untamed. After being taken aback by the woman’s collision with the climbers, you might observe that the scenes are heavily reliant on CGI, giving off a plastic and unnatural vibe, like the pine trees or the tightly framed shots which seem to hide the fact they’re not near El Cap and possibly not even outdoors. While it’s understandable that some suspension of disbelief is necessary for TV shows, Untamed‘s emphasis on these locations being crucial to its plot – such as the lake where Turner spends time with his son, or the barn where Vasquez meets a horse – becomes more incongruous when these locations are visually underdeveloped. This lack of authenticity in the series, which was actually filmed in British Columbia, Canada, is starkly apparent, even amidst the stunning drone shots of mountains and forests. However, Untamed‘s portrayal of Yosemite’s singular beauty falls short compared to the real thing, appearing more like a zoomed-out screensaver rather than capturing the rich diversity of its unique ecosystems and wildlife.

In essence, the show “Untamed” strives to depict National Parks as a realm of both enchantment and peril, where one might marvel at the starry skies one night, only to encounter a group of survivalists armed with machetes the next morning. However, the rapid shifts between beauty and menace in the series are intended to reveal aspects of the human experience and our evolving perception of America. Unfortunately, “Untamed” fails to delve deeply enough into the National Parks’ allure or danger, leaving viewers disconnected from both elements.

Documentaries on the breathtaking beauty of National Parks and their covert criminal activities are abundant, and “Untamed” doesn’t attempt to match their depth. The series lacks a unique perspective, as its plot is formulaic and hesitant in exploring the complex relationship between humans and nature – our simultaneous romanticization and exploitation of the natural world. Consequently, “Untamed” never manages to carve out its distinct identity, despite a promising opening scene.

Read More

2025-07-17 18:54