Review by Matthew Lucas: Over the last decade, television has been reaching for, and often surpassing, the quality of many current films. Networks like HBO and Showtime have consistently offered cutting-edge programming and made-for-TV movies that often rival their big screen counterparts. So it should come as no surprise that the BBC miniseries “Red Riding” was deemed good enough to receive a theatrical release in the United States. Made up of three feature-length films by three different directors (Julian Jarrold of “Brideshead Revisited,” James Marsh of “Man on Wire,” and Anand Tucker of “Shopgirl”), “The Red Riding Trilogy” (as its been dubbed) chronicles police corruption in Yorkshire over nearly a decade, covering the crimes of two serial killers and the massive cover-ups and case mishandlings that resulted.

The first film, “Red Riding: 1974,” sets it all in motion with the story of Eddie Dunford (Andrew Garfield), an intrepid young reporter (is there any other kind?) who becomes obsessed with the case of a young girl who was kidnapped and later found dead with swan wings stitched into her back, giving her the appearance of an angel. As Eddie makes advances and discoveries about the case, police resistance increases. Soon he finds himself the target of police harassment and brutality, which only get worse the closer he gets to answers that connect the murder to a string of similar disappearances, and point in a surprising and dangerous direction.

Of all the films in the “The Red Riding Trilogy," '1974' has the greatest cinematic staying power, encompassing a greater whole and offering a more satisfying experience. Jarrold's film is a haunting and frightening portrait of a man willing to find the answers at all costs (one that approaches “Zodiac” in this way). It paints an extremely grim picture of a lone man against the system, where those who are meant to serve and protect are the very thing to be feared. Garfield makes for a strong and appealing lead, a principled level head in a sea of insanity and evil. Jarrold perfectly captures a sense of unnerving paranoia and the whole of '1974' is fascinating and quite disturbing.

By the time we get to “Red Riding: 1980,” six years have passed and the cases have changed, but some of the faces remain the same. With the case of the missing girl behind them, the Yorkshire police move on to the case of the infamous Yorkshire Ripper, murdering prostitutes Jack-the-Ripper style and holding the region in the grip of fear. Paddy Considine plays Peter Hunter, an internal police investigator sent to Yorkshire to try and solve the problem, out of the public eye. But like Eddie Dunford before him, Hunter finds a web of cover-ups and lies that goes further up the chain than he could ever have imagined, with police obstruction and dark secrets at every turn.

'1980' is connected to its predecessor mostly through minor characters, illustrating just how widespread the corruption was and how deep it went. The documentary-like film has a more immediate and gritty feel thanks to “Man on Wire” director James Marsh, who peppers it with newsreel footage. It's also the most dense and frustrating of the three 'Red Riding' installments, and sandwiched between '1974' and '1983' (which connects back to the case of the first film), '1980' sticks out as a weaker effort. It has an interesting and compelling atmosphere, and a stronger sense of human relationships than its counterparts, but it's also cold and distancing. While it serves to further illustrate the corruption of the Yorkshire police, it doesn't seem to have as much to offer in the grand scheme of the 'Red Riding' arc.

The third film in the trilogy, '1983,' like its two predecessors, has its own unique atmosphere. Much slicker and more conventional in structure under the direction of Anand Tucker, it ties up the loose ends left hanging by the previous films and gives us the answers we've been looking for. When a little girl goes missing under similar circumstances as the one murdered nine years prior, Maurice Jobson (David Morrissey), a policeman with a conscience, realizes what so many are unwilling to admit: that the boy in jail for the original crime is not the real criminal. After more than a decade of corrupt police rule, Jobson has had enough, and along with John Piggot (Mark Addy)—a lawyer hired by the boy's mother to appeal his case—he sets out to try to find the real culprit before the corruption of the Yorkshire police department and their unwillingness to admit they were wrong condemn another victim to death.

'1983' is more leisurely paced and less intricate than the other two films in the trilogy, but that's partially due to the fact that it's answering more questions than it's raising. It's beautifully filmed and provides much needed closure to a series marked by a stubborn refusal to offer any comforting affectations. But by splitting the main thread between two (and in some ways three) main characters (neither as compelling as the protagonists of '1974' or '1980'), it falters a bit. Each film is only around an hour and a half long, so a lot of ground must be covered in very little time; in the final installment, everything must be resolved, and quickly. However, '1983' is still a more complete viewing experience overall than '1980.' It’s hard to deny the beauty of Tucker's compositional sense, and when viewed as part of the 'Red Riding' narrative, the film provides the catharsis it was designed to.

Each film in the trilogy has its own strengths and weaknesses. But taken as a whole, 'Red Riding' is an impressive achievement that deserves to be seen collectively (and in proper order) so viewers can really appreciate its full impact. '1980' falls victim to middle child syndrome; '1983' lacks the compelling forward momentum of the first film; and '1974' sums up what this series is about, providing a great stand-alone film in its own right. Each of the three directors brings something new to the table, which adds to the trilogy's consistently surprising and compelling verve. Taken individually, they are solid films; taken together, "The Red Riding Trilogy" is a memorable cinematic epic. If this is the kind of quality that British television is offering now, then the US has a long way to go.

Last Word: '1974' may be the best installment, but when viewed as one long film, “The Red Riding Trilogy” is a fairly staggering achievement, covering a decade of police corruption and horrific crime with impressive detail and cinematic grander.

Review By:
Matthew Lucas

IN REVIEW ONLINE