There’s no harm or shame in any filmmaker seeking to break out of their comfort zone and expand their horizons, but there wasn’t really any evidence to prove that Shawn Levy had what it took to successfully direct Netflix’s four-part adaptation of Pulitzer Prize-winning novel All the Light We Cannot See, either.
His filmography largely consists of effects-driven escapades that play to a broad audience, not to mention his previous small screen experience being mostly restricted to family-friendly favorites like The Secret World of Alex Mack, Animorphs, The Famous Jett Jackson, forgotten DC adaptation Birds of Prey, and of course Stranger Things.
Unfortunately, looking at current Rotten Tomatoes approval ratings of just 23 and 55 percent from critics and audiences, the Deadpool 3 director’s first foray into prestige drama has not been a successful one, which makes it a shame that he admitted to People he was only planning to helm an episode before he became convinced he was the only person for the job.
“When I read the first draft of the first episode of the adaptation, my plan was to produce the show, maybe direct an episode. But after I read it, I knew I needed to do it all myself.”
All the Light We Cannot See does boast some sumptuous visuals and several stellar performances from its ensemble cast, but the narrative and thematic shortcomings are nothing if not glaring. Some people just aren’t cut out for drama, and the consensus is beginning to form that Levy is one of them.