Midnight Mass - A Netflix Series Review

I wonder what is going to happen at mass tonight.

Midnight Mass is a Netflix series released in 2021. A new priest arrives at an isolated island community. A multitude of miraculous and bizarre events occur, leading people to speculate omens.

Being a fan of Mike Flanagan’s work, I was looking forward to watching his new Netflix series, Midnight Mass. Starting strong, embodying captivating performances and a lesson about religion, the story fell out of place by the end.

The cast of Midnight Mass sustained remarkable performances. Studying the script closely, everyone dove into this deep story. Delivering impressive monologues, several characters stand out.

Hamish Linklater was the highlight of Midnight Mass. Having incredible diction, Father Paul is mysterious. Other credits include Kate Siegel, Zack Gilford, Kristin Lehman, Samantha Sloyan, Igbey Rigny, Rahul Kohli, Annabeth Gish, and an impressive debut for Annamah Cymone.

A well-deserved shoutout goes to Alex Essoe. After seeing her play a significant character in Doctor Sleep, (also directed by Mike Flanagan) Essoe was believable as she conquered a range of different ages.

This town felt real. Building their relationships, whether they liked each other or not, the cast did an excellent job with all their interactions. I especially liked Siegel and Gilford in their scenes. Samantha Sloyan outdid herself in her performance. If you have differing opinions on a character, that means the actor did their job.

Memorizing several lengthy monologues, a hand goes out to the cast for memorization and delivery of captivating stories. They emphasize Midnight Mass. To a point, that is.

The monologues were overdone. And they felt notably scripted. It also felt unrealistic with the way characters talked to each other. Of course, we can all have a conversation, but would we go off into a monologue for several minutes?

Halfway through Midnight Mass, the story lost its focus. I thought that it would have been a series detailing religion and how we should let go of past mistakes. One character’s journey is completely forgotten when it was the central focus in the first two episodes. The change into a dark fantasy series was unrealistic. It took away from the true moral of the story.

As I was hoping from Mike Flanagan, he constructed an original story that was different from the haunted house/ghost stories he normally presented. His direction was flawless. The way he guided the camera in excellent long shots or focused on integral reactions, Flanagan outdid himself in his masterful direction.

Filming during a pandemic must not have been easy. Following protocols closely, Flanagan did a wonderful job in guiding his actors. He brought out the true relationships of the characters.

He overdid the plot. Did it have to take a dark fantasy route with peculiar demons taking over the island? It could have been simpler if it was a show about religion and nothing more. Religion has a huge impact on everyone’s lives, whether they practice it or not.

Based on the subject matter, I can see why some audiences would skip out on the series. I was engaged from episode one. The characters are relatable and it may help anyone who is fighting a similar personal dilemma.

I never thought I was going to enjoy this series. I argue over whether the final episode was necessary or not, Most of the overly long monologues were unneeded by the time the series concluded.

Give Midnight Mass a watch. Don’t base it on the subject matter. You never know, you just may enjoy it. It’s important to give Midnight Mass a chance to experience something different.