When is a Netflix original not really a Netflix original? It’s a question that doesn’t come up very often given the streaming service’s proclivity for spending vast sums of cash on exclusive film and television content, but War Sailor is one of the rare exceptions to the rule.
The record-breaking war epic holds the distinction of being the most expensive Norwegian movie ever made, even if the $11 million production costs are a drop in the ocean compared to Hollywood’s deep pockets. Originally released in theaters last year as a 150-minute feature, writer and director Gunnar Vikene’s sweeping story has been reborn on the Netflix charts.
Re-edited and extended into a three-part event series that sees its chapters run for 60, 58, and 57 minutes respectively, War Sailor‘s addition to the platform’s library as an episodic exclusive has reaped instant rewards. Per FlixPatrol, the nerve-shredding drama has instantly been cast adrift on the Top 10 in 47 countries, placing it at eighth position on the worldwide watch-list.
The narrative finds a pair of childhood friends working on a merchant ship when World War II breaks out, forcing them onto the front lines of a conflict they never wanted to be involved with. Their only goal is to survive and make it home, all while news of a bombing raid gone wrong on their hometown leaves the pair wondering if they’ve even got anywhere to return to once the explosions stop.
War Sailor arguably works better in its new iteration, and it’s the latest in a long line of home runs for Netflix’s array of in-house originals.
Published: Apr 3, 2023 11:57 am