Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		0.0
Overall		3.0

Mr. Mercedes: Season 1 Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Martin Liebman April 9, 2021

Note: 'Mr. Mercedes: Season 1' is not available in the United States on Blu-ray, but this Australian Blu-ray release is region free and will play in any U.S. Blu-ray player.

Stephen King's Mr. Mercedes sees the author set aside his external Horror proclivities for a more focused internal exploration of broken psyches on either side of the law. The story's protagonist is an aged and obese retired detective and its antagonist is a young man with deep psychological scars. It follows a developing war that begins internally and manifests externally. King paints a rich portrait on both sides, making both men monsters in their own ways and sympathetic in some others, though certainly it's much less the former for the hero and much less the latter for the villain. The story essentials may feel procedural but as with so many of the writer's best works it's in the intimate character details and the vivid world portaits where the story comes alive. This 2014 novel, and its pair of sequels, have been developed for the television format. Mr. Mercedes' first season closely follows the storyline and the story specifics from the novel, particualrly early on, while embellishing here, adding there, and making some larger changes towards the end but largely holding tight to King's grisly, twisted exploration of the human psyche -- the story's true selling point -- and that clash in the shadow of bloodshed.

It’s been two years since the City Centre Massacre, a mass killing in which a man in a clown mask, driving a powerful Mercedes Benz, plowed through an early morning throng of job seekers, killing and maiming many – including a mother and her newborn daughter – and escaping without a trace. Police have custody of the car but the killer smartly removed all traces of his or her identity with gallons of bleach. The lead detective on the case, Bill Hodges (Brendan Gleeson), has retired yet remains consumed with the killer known as "Mr. Mercedes" and is determined to solve it, even in retirement, so long as his sloth doesn’t consume him first. One day, Hodges receives a message on his computer from the killer. Now, he is no longer haunted by the killing but is also being taunted by the killer. The messages disappear but Hodges recruits his neighbor, an intelligent collegebound high school senior named Jerome (Jharrel Jerome), to help him retrieve them.

As Hodges finds himself more consumed with the case, he clashes with his old partner, Pete Dixon (Scott Lawrence), who dismisses Hodges as increasingly unstable. But the retired detective presses forward, eventually finding himself involved with Janney Patterson (Mary-Louise Parker), sister of Olivia Trelawney (Ann Cusack), the woman whose Mercedes was stolen to perpetrate the crime and who has since committed suicide. Meanwhile, the killer, Brady Hartsfield (Harry Treadaway), remains on the loose, obsessing over the crime, over Hodges, and over his dark childhood traumas that still linger and haunt him. As he toys with Hodges, both electronically and through more traditional means, he continues to hide in plain sight working two jobs, one as an electronics salesman and repair specialist and the other as an ice cream truck driver. With Hodges struggling to mentally and physically rise to the challenge of capturing the killer, Hartsfield plans a new attack that promises to be exponentially more deadly than his first.

The series begins as does the novel: with the Mercedes killing spree. King’s description of the opening slaughter in the book is vivid and it’s horrifyingly gruesome here. It’s the first scene in a series that is faithful to the novel. To be sure there is some expansion on the source which the format all but demands; this is not one of King’s more sweepingly epic novels, at least in terms of sheer length, so filling ten episodes that often bump up against 50 minutes or an hour in length from a source that is of fairly typical novel size unsurprisingly makes a few character and narrative additions and alterations along the way, perhaps the most notable being the add of Hodges' next door neighbor who is interested in a sexual relationship with him. But beyond that readers of the book will find a series that is careful to paint by numbers yet still bring its own, if only subtle, feel and flavor to the material, frequently translating scenes to the screen with impressive attention to detail, including minute elements that do make a necessary impact on more fully understanding the story and the characters. That said, the finale is radically different from that in the book if not similar in some basic ideas and in spirit. It's better in the book but the book's setting was probably too big for the show's budget to accommodate.

It's nice that the series holds true to both core essentials and fan service superficialities but what really matters is how the show retains, depicts, and builds the two opposing characters with such vivid depth and feroicty. Both men -- Hodges and Hartsfield -- are in many ways alike, each a portrait of obsession and madness. Though they may be opposed to one another there's a mutual shared middle ground, one that is perhaps more evident to the reader or watcher as opposed to the characters themselves, in that their similarities often drive their differecnes and confrontations.

Here is a man in Hodges whose view of himself is so wrapped up in his work that, even as he’s long retired, he disallows himself some of the pleasures of the world in hopes of remaining focused on the case. His neighbor and his waitress both want him, but he refuses their advances, the former pursuing him more aggressively and the latter more subtlely. He brings Jerome, and eventually Holly (Justine Lupe), into his inner circle, endangering their lives in an effort to satisfy his thirst for apprehending the killer himself, without aid from official channels. Granted he approaches those channels, perhaps more forcefully in the show than in the book, to no avail. His singular focus often leaves him incapable of discerning the color around him, only seeing the black and white focus on his prey. At one point Jerome’s father approaches Hodges, essentially telling him to remove his son from the equation. It’s a wake up call for Hodges, but alas the game is afoot and Jerome is in too deep to quit now. It’s refreshing to find a hero who is in many ways the antithesis of the classic protagonist. Hodges is not strong in body or completely sound in mind. He’s haunted, hurting, physically a wreck and emotionally even worse off. But he finds life living in the darkness, pain him as it might to do so, and he refuses to rest until the killer is captured.

Opposite is Brady Hartsfield, a seriously disturbed young man who, unlike Hodges, is still full of vigor and life but a history of abuse, violence, and a touch-and-go incestuous relationship with his mother and the resultant mental deterioration have rendered him greatly unstable. He’s a man of obsession, just as is Hodges, living in the dark, just as is Hodges, and determined to see his story through, just as is Hodges. It’s an interesting dichotomy to be sure. In Unbreakable, M. Night Shyamalan posits that for every villain there is an equal and opposite hero: an invincible David Dunn for every frail and fargile Mr. Glass. King, on the other hand, explores the idea that for every demented and deranged villian there's a detective in despair and internal (and increasingly external) disfigurement. Hodges is scarred from the Mercedes case and long removed from the realities of balance in life. Hodges' is a noble pursuit, but the darkenss within him frequently hinders rather than helps his good work. On the other hand, the darkness within Hartsfield propells him deeper into madness and into a more capable state in which to carry out his grisly affairs.

The show is at its best when these inner demons drive it forward but without a doubt the external drivers and technical qualities behind the work make it a standout. This is a well polsihed production that is never lacking in phsyical quality. It's very well constructed from a production design and photogprahic perspective, the two complimenting one another and the latter in particular used to fine effect to reinforce a plot point, a character beat, or simply accentuate a vital detail in ways that are at once both visually complelling and narratively vital. Performances are superb. Gleeson's work is magnificent as he toes that line between right and wrong, light and darkness, and determination at all costs -- including to his body and soul -- with beleivable external involvement and internal conflict. Much the same may be said of Harry Treadaway's work as the killer Brady Hartsfield; there's a tangible darkness and depravity in play at all times but there's also a hint of the humanity and the innocence that once existed long ago before his demons overwhelmed and consumed him. Great stuff all around.

Mr. Mercedes: Season 1 Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The 1080p presentation satisfies in every area of analysis. The digitally sourced image is crisp and sharp – relentlessly so – and well capable of revealing fine details both near frame and far from any shot's focal point. For instance, the electronics store: characters are usually at the center and the image depicts faces and the store attire with exemplary definition, but the merchandise scattered around the background maintains a level of fine definition that is both appealing and vital in better shaping the environment. The same can be said of other locales throughout the show, including critical stages like Hodges' apartment and Hartsfield's basement. Facial close-ups are well capable of revealing the dense facial and head hairs that define Hodges' appearance with fine point detail. Visual excellence extends to all characters for intimate pores, freckles, makeup, and anything else that commands attention on the screen. Colors are well balanced. There's a pleasing neutrality to the palette with no excess warmth or coldness to the temperature and no overbearing contrast at work. Primaries are lovely and bright, skin tones are spot on, and black levels are great. The source is in fine shape and there are no obvious encode issues to report. They don't come a whole lot better than this.

Mr. Mercedes: Season 1 Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack is well versed in all areas of concern. The track is generally unremarkable in that there's nothing that stands apart from basic audio cues for a production of this style and caliber. Everything finds exacting and exemplary sonic balance with good stage usage defining the listening experience at-large. Whether background fill din in various locations, some more prominent action-type effects (beginning right away with the Mercedes plowing through the crowd), or music, the track offers balanced force, width, surround extension, and subwoofer engagement in seamless balance. Clarity to all areas is exceptional, as is stage placement and traversal. Dialogue drives most of the show and it presents with fine front-center placement and prioritization. Reverb as necessary bounces naturally around the stage, including during the season's climax.

Mr. Mercedes: Season 1 Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

No supplemental content is included.

Mr. Mercedes: Season 1 Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Mr. Mercedes will play well for both fans of the original King novel and for newcomers looking for a sharp and twisted modern detective story. The changes made range from insignificant to major, the latter more towards the end, but the series holds fast to King's true story which is the battle between Hodges and Hartsfield and the in-depth psychological portraits that are painted throughout the show. It's a fine bit of storytelling on both page and screen and the TV adaptation is a great piece of entertainment. This featurless two-disc set does deliver excellent video and audio presentations. Highly recommended.