42 Days of Darkness (TV Mini Series 2022) Poster

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7/10
Worth a watch...
annakillick20 May 2022
I found this show refreshing because it:

1. Was a Chilean production - I don't think I've seen one before.

2. Had beautiful scenery and so much water.

3. Felt like the conversations and situations were real.

4. Gave me a bit of a rest from tense psychological thrillers.

I didn't like:

1. The lack of suspects.

2. The abrupt and inconclusive ending.

3. Too much music,

7.5/10.
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7/10
Good enough
manugw19 May 2022
Setting, the beautiful landscape of southern Chile on the foothill of the Andes Mountains A woman vanishes and the husband becomes a suspect. The mistery is well played on to engage the viewer sometimes abusing math technicalities but with elements to move the plot forward with an attractive whodunit. Fair twists and turns. Well conceived ending. Some characters are a bit grotesque and others too soft developed to be credible. Overall, entertaining and much better than many American run of the mill crime stories.
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6/10
Solved
classicrun19 May 2022
Warning: Spoilers
Spoiler here. The husband was guilty. How am I so sure? Easy. The fireplace. The husband was obsessed with keeping the house cold. If there's a body in the attic, he would have to keep it cold. He's outraged when the cop puts too much wood on the fire to raise the temperature of the house. Then the cadaver dog alerts from the driveway. He then "discovers" the body in the location he had hidden it from the police with incorrect floor plans. Inept police? Definitely.
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7/10
Too much left on the table
latoyatbouldin4 June 2022
Warning: Spoilers
I feel like the plot was stale. Too much was left on the table or up to the viewer to interpret. With so many shows out there and shows being cancelled left and right, writers shouldn't expect viewers to get small hints. Like the fact that Mario didn't care that Kari went home unless he know she was not in danger. The fact that he was so concerned about who was kindling the fire.. he obviously didn't want the house to get too warm thus Veronica's body would start to smell. I really wished the writer would have circled back to that. I didn't like how Kari was so clueless when she lived in the house with them and noticed so much other stuff but not that her mom was not happy?
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7/10
Music music everywhere
iangibbcon20 May 2022
I was interested, but by 2nd episode the background music was so distracting. There were also other sounds. I dont think there was one scene without background music. Wish I ciuld have watched whole series.
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9/10
Surprisingly good
jareers12 May 2022
It is not a thriller. If you go with that perspective, you will find it very underwhelming. It is a brilliant drama, with so many layers in its characters, events and the conclusion that it is truly refreshing after all the overly dramatized clutter you have around murder mysteries. It is not much of a mystery either, or maybe it is. However, it does seem a fairly accurate representation of the deep frustrations that surround attaining justice and closure for such crimes given the incompetency of the very system itself.

All the actors were brilliant, the protagonist in particular was phenomenal. The characters seem to behave as close to real life as one would imagine in such a scenario, and that is exactly what hooks you to this series. You truly root for almost every character in this series except for the obvious few. I know it is almost blasphemy for some, but it somewhat reminds you of 'The Wire'.
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4/10
This is a true story. Save time, read the papers.
rxjqgprz12 June 2022
Warning: Spoilers
First of all, this is not "based on a true story". This is exactly how it all happened. I am from Chile and I remember it quite well, although after I started watching this show I had to read again old news and articles on the case to refresh my memory. Just a heads-up to everyone out there commenting and rating the plot and/or script.

That being said, the slow pace of the story and the dialogue was too forced for a Chilean production. It almost seems like they accomodated too much to be featured in Netflix. If this had been streamed on national TV it would have been a very different way of acting, which is what dissapoints me the most aside from the fact that this show is essentially a reenactment of the case. No character development, no insight (let alone a wild guess) on the husband's possible motive, a gap of 5 years that is surprisingly unaccounted for. Just a dramatization of the case we all heard of.

In summary, a waste of time. 10 minutes on Google gave me more information on the case.
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9/10
Very good
blutao15 May 2022
I enjoyed watching this show especially knowing the fact that it was based on true crime. The acting was superb, watching in English, the scenes, the events etc. I did not exclude the fact that this was a crime in Chile so laws slightly differ from that of US.

With all the junk and garbage shows nowadays, it felt refreshing to spend time watching this show. I really believe this show is worth every minute of it if you just want to watch a quality, no nonsense, drama.
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5/10
Gloomy, depressing and dragging
pjkblue-3592619 May 2022
Warning: Spoilers
Of course the husband was guilty, whether or not he did it himself or paid the other guy. How could the police search the house and attic three times and not find a body? I think the other guy who was that stupid took the rap and had to keep the body until the police ended their searches at the husband's house. They then put her body in the attic and had to slow the decomposition/time of death by the cold house environment. Duh! The K-9 officer tells him he's going to bring the cadaver dog and surprise! The husband finds the body!

Now, did he collect the reward as well since the discovery happened before the time was up?

I was thinking that the killer would slip up, but he was either written as being that ridiculously smart and cunning that he got some desperate doofus to serve his time. The video camera was just nonsense as nothing from it was pertinent to the murder. Too bad, they could have made it dumb-simple and had some type of incriminating video of the killing. Viewers want endings of justice for the most part, but this was a dreary deal of having us being left with empty-hands.
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10/10
this is a very good one!
silviaavnet15 May 2022
At the beginning I was not sure if I am interested in this program but I started watching and.... Wow !!! This is so interesting, excellent sightseeings, actors.... It is so real, you feel that you are there, very common people and at the same time, terrifying. Anyway, I liked it very much, and recomend it for sure....
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5/10
Dumbest detectives in the world
Csallsazar56 June 2022
The detectives are completely inept. Kept hoping it would get better but it didn't. Unless you have never watched CSI/Crime Dramas and know absolutely nothing about forensics, you will be disappointed.
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9/10
An Exceptional Drama
cmrochk16 June 2022
I guess some viewers just don't "get it". Being forever groomed by "hollow"-wood tv and movies, this film is not uber-lite viewing and not for the impatient. No, this doesn't have the young, shallow stereo-typical characters pulled from model magazines. It's not a fast, lotsa-action-blood-shoot-em-up film with genius forensic folks who can hack into every databank in the world to catch the killer. Nope. This film, which I enjoyed right from the first epi, is a deep study in characters immersed in a mystery.

The story takes place in a small gated community in Chile and while one aspect of the film is certainly trying to solve "what happened", the director chooses to focus on those involved closest to the investigation. The local police are unsure of themselves. But the general public is certainly coming up with its own answers which, in turn, have their own effects. Meanwhile, questions persist, which path to follow? - emotions run high, doubts, obsessions, frustration, (secrets?) all push their boundaries. What happens to a family and those around them when a life event suddenly interupts their "normal"?

I admit, I watch a lot of films. From the low-brow to the high. There are a lot wonderful foreign films that I've enjoyed due to the fact they're so unlike the common American pulp. For me, finding the series 42 Dias de Obscuridad on Netflix was a refreshing weekend binge!
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5/10
Horrible story telling
toddcha18 May 2022
The director does not know how to tell and to organize a story.

I don't think the acting is that bad. The storyline is okay. It's not boring even though you can predict some plots. The real question is that there is barely coherent link between scenes. One scene ends and it jumps straight to a random scene. Perhaps the director wants to follow the German series DARK but did a bad job. Since it's 42 days of darkness, it's reasonable and helpful to indicate which day.
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9/10
Entertaining
chad-6131315 May 2022
It's not a thriller, but an exceptional drama. It's a slow start but it does pick up. I put myself in the lawyer's position and had fun figuring out the what's, who's and how's. Acting was fine and I loved the scenery.
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4/10
42 Days of Boredom
adriana-0062713 May 2022
The premise for the movie is ridiculous. The whole thing is a bad interpretation of an American thriller, a corny and boring interpretation of a case that should be exhilarating. The Police is a caricature, and it is even more boring. There is a scummy lawyer, people who move in slow motion, a husband who moves like molasses.... The 4 is because of the scenery, the glorious rain of the region, the feeling of truly being filmed on location.

Been bored for 5 days, couldn't possibly be bored for 37 more.
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8/10
42 Days of Darkness
Tweekums10 October 2022
As this Chilean series, which is inspired by real events, opens a woman approaches a house that is surrounded by police. She is informed that her sister's body has been found. The action then moves back forty-two days to the time when she went missing. Verónica Montes lived in a wealthy community in the south of Chile; she was married to Mario Medina and has two daughters, Karen and Emilia. One day Karen returns home from school and finds the home empty. Mario goes to the police and tells them he has received a phone call from somebody who claims to have kidnapped his wife. While the police start their investigation lawyer Víctor Pizarro and two colleagues start their own parallel investigation, convinced that the police aren't doing a thorough job.

I thought this was a really intriguing series; I've no idea how close it is to the real events but as a drama it really works. We may know from the start that Verónica will be found dead but if anything that only makes one think more about how her body wasn't found sooner. The case is interesting and the cast do a great job bringing the characters to life. There is an understated reality to their performances rather than over-the-top highly charismatic characters. The impressive southern Chilean scenery combined with near constant rain add a great atmosphere to the already interesting story. Overall I'd certainly recommend this to fans of the genre.

These comments are based on watching the Series in Spanish with English subtitles.
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5/10
Doom and Gloom
robert-e-metcalfe19 June 2022
Just a true doom and gloom TV show with a very unhappy end to the show. It dragged on for longer than it needed to be. I didn't know sunlight was so rare in Chilli. That you need to film it to remember it. If you like doom and gloom show with unhappy endings this is for you.
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8/10
True crime drama out of Chile is worth checking out
paul-allaer23 May 2022
As Episode 1 of "42 Days of Darkness" (2022 release from Chile; 6 episodes of 45 to 60 min each) opens, we fins ourselves somewhere in Chile and it is "June 29, 2010". We are introduced to a family of four. The husband is on his way to dropping off the two daughters at school, The wide, a woman named Veronica, hears a knock on the door, and she opens. It's not long before we realize she has disappeared, and feared kidnapped... At this point we are 10 min into Episode 1.

Couple of comments; let me just state the obvious upfront: I was not familiar with anyone on this production team or among the actors and actresses that are in this series. The plot is super heavy (and based on a true story), and my description of the initial 10 min does not give you a good sense of what all will take place (but neither am I going to spoil it here). Bottom line: it didn't take long for me to realize that this mini-series is right up my alley. The writing is strong, the characters are fleshed out. And the setting (in Chile) is an extra bonus.

All episodes of "42 Days In Darkness" started streaming on Netflix a few weeks ago, and I'm just now catching up on it. I've seen the first 2 episodes so far and it won't be long before I'll watch the remaining 4 episodes. If you dig true crime stories, and love an "exotic" setting like this one in Chile, I'd readily suggest you check this out, and draw your own conclusion.

*UPDATE* I've now seen all episodes, and have upgraded my overall rating from 7 to 8 stars. The last 2 episodes are absolutely outstanding, and my main reason for upgrading my rating.
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1/10
Don't waste your time
It is a very bad series, it never gets off the ground and it is also very poorly acted. It seems that the actors never took an acting class. Poorly directed and the script very boring. Pass by and don't waste your time with this mess!! I think it's the first Chilean series on Netflix and they wasted a very good opportunity and Netflix continues to lose points.
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8/10
Inciertamente certera
LeCronopio15 May 2022
No sé si esta valoración personal responde más a todos los elementos meritorios que veo habitar en la serie, o al hecho de que la serie que habitan (en algo que es, al menos para producciones de este nivel, excepcional) es de mi propio país: Chile.

Desde el primer capítulo (omitiendo quizá ciertos reparos con interpretaciones secundarias en la escena que inicia el drama) se instala un tono implacablemente contingente, sutilmente anticlimático, como emulando a través de esa cotidianidad heterogénea de las personas la indiferencia de la realidad, la cruda inevitabilidad de la incertidumbre.

Para generar este relente de verosimilitud envolviendo al drama, además de evidentemente tener que contar con un material (una adaptación de los hechos) que esté escrito en un tono que evada las condescendencias habituales con el espectador de las producciones chilenas, que busque no retratar un sesgo en torno a un acontecimiento, sino el espectro que compone su realidad, es incontrovertiblemente necesario ofrecer interpretaciones que sean capaces de catalizar esto, actores que logren emular y ofrecer una realidad orgánica con su actuación. Esto, en mayor medida (pues muchos de los roles secundarios no lo logran del todo, aunque otros varios sí: es casi como si a medida en que se desciende en la trascendencia de un rol también se hace en la capacidad interpretativa del asignado) se logra.

Si bien estos roles secundarios y no tan secundarios afectan la textura del flujo narrativo al no calibrar con el tono interpretativo, o quizá sencillamente no estar a la altura de los estándares de los demás actores, de quienes me llevo una muy genuina buena impresión, la serie parece buscar operar ante todo como una ventana a la vida de esta tragedia, de quienes se vieron acechados por este acontecimiento devastador ofreciendo e integrando objetivamente los elementos que lo componen. Aunque el conjunto argumentativo pueda inclinarse en cierta dirección, no omite o acentúa deliberadamente hechos concluyentes, sino que emplea el espectro complejo de lo que se conoce al respecto, la pluralidad de hechos y evidencias e inconsistencias e interrogantes, la tangibilidad del estado de quienes habitan esta historia, y así inevitablemente su convivencia irrechazable con el plano de incertidumbre.

Hay muchos peros que podría señalar y que distinguí en el transcurso de estos seis capítulos: algunos, como parcialemente los interpretativos (mayormente secundarios), ya los mencioné; otros, como ciertas malas elecciones de diálogos, quizá como resabios de la narrativa audiovisual chilena; o la mediocridad de parte de la banda sonora (los temas monótonos y casi indistinguibles cantados por una (o unas) joven al cerrar la mayoría de los primeros capítulos); o la redundancia de estas rememoraciones con Verónica (lo que es perfectamente entendible, pero que fallaban al no ofrecer realmente nada más que una contextualizacion en el avance de capítulos, justificándose básicamente por el tiempo que llevaba corriendo la serie y no porque aportaran algo nuevo), los señalo ahora como una estricta constatación, pues no siento pertinente ahondar en los aspectos negativos cuando los que resaltan y prosperan en la serie son en definitiva los positivos.

El nivel narrativo es bueno, el material es bueno (la adaptación de los hechos), la interpretaciones a grandes rasgos son buenas, el tono es correcto y sutilmente logrado, y la elección de este es correcta, es necesaria y lograda.

Creo que algo que muchas grandes obras tienen en común de hacer es aceptar el estado de incertidumbre que está supeditado al ser humano, y abrazarlo, aceptarlo y ofrecer y construir a través de él: ya viendo los últimos minutos de esta serie me fue inevitable pensar en estas obras, en estas películas, series, libros anticlimáticos, que angustian un poco con su implacable e incompasible verdad, con la verdad que no poseemos, y que ellos tampoco, la verdad de que la duda nos habitará hasta el día de nuestra muerte, hasta el último momento de nuestra existencia; la verdad de que en esta vida tendremos más preguntas que respuestas, y que la certeza parece pertenecerle a la ficción.

Me alegra enormente ver que una producción chilena grande (para un medio mainstream: Netflix) haya decidido utilizar esa dirección artística, se haya atrevido a cursar la senda de series como The Night Of, y le ofrezca e invite quizá a espectadores acostumbrados a otra cosa, con este retrato fiel de la vida que es insípida, impertérrita, indiferente, preguntas que les sean más útiles que pseudo respuestas.
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8/10
An engrossing foreign film
inexplicable00723 May 2022
I wasn't expecting much when Netflix suggested this show but the camera work, the acting and the characters compelled me to keep watching. A married woman disappears, possibly kidnapped and while eyes start shifting toward the husband the family is split apart. This is by no means a unique or original story yet the writing, the characters and their acting keep you interested. The lawyer, Victor who some accuse of being obsessed with the case has his issues but he is very passionate and you come to love his dynamic with his team of investigators also who draw you in even in their small roles. From the eldest daughter to the other side characters there were strong performances and realistic occurrences, you can actually feel for both sides of the drama. I did have an issue with the ending but for a short series I would gladly recommend this show.
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8/10
Deeply intelligent autopsy of a murder
ikanboy6 August 2022
Warning: Spoilers
This movie is not just about the mishandling of a murder case but about it's affects on a family, and the story of a ambulance chasing lawyer in pursuit of the big one. It weaves intelligently and viscerally through the aftermath of a killing, misdiagnosed as a suicide by the police, but pursued as a killing by a discredited self centered lawyer who does the work the police never bothered to do.

The entire truth is left hanging, as it often is, and the viewers, like jurists, have to decide for themselves.
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8/10
Surprisingly & refreshingly good
jennyrock-7050925 May 2022
There's no sensationalism in this series. It feels very plausible & believable & therefore quietly compelling & insightful & also beautifully filmed..and what really elevated it was the music....subtle ...not that most viewers would necessarily notice ....but eclectic & diverse and always amplifying whatever scene it accompanies because it's been so carefully chosen....the person or people behind the selection of music have done an exceptional job and I would want to watch anything else they've or he or she have been involved with.
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8/10
What a sad true story ...
Design884 July 2022
Warning: Spoilers
I love that someone who actually remembers the case wrote a review even though they didn't enjoy it as much as I did.

I have never seen any Chilean productions before so I can't compare the pacing to a network version of the case but I loved the way it all unfolded. It was so real. The acting was so natural and the characters all behaved exactly how you'd expect in such a tragic situation. There were no unnecessary, distracting subplots or characters. Everything moved the story along.

I loved that they didn't try to "flesh it out for dramatic effect" with their own suppositions as many US "based on a true story" productions do. I feel they reported the facts exactly as they were and merely hinted at the fact that the judicial system was being "paid off" at the highest level as a possible alternative to sheer police inexperience and ineptitude.

I'm sure there are differences in the legal system in Chile too but it was so frustrating and often infuriating to watch even the most obvious clues being ignored or discounted.

But strange verdicts happen even when no one has been bribed to divert the course of justice. I just finished working on the upcoming HBO Max version of the true crime drama covered in "Candy" ("Love And Death") and many Texans remember how unbelievably that trial panned out.

I was amazed how much rain there was in Chile and how grey the skies were but tend to think the director used the gloomy weather for effect (in a Shakespearean manner) as he did in his music choices.

A few reviews have brought up the "fireplace" clue but, in reality, no one outside of the family knew the father was frantically complaining about the kindle burning hot in the grate and both the ousted cop and the children probably believed that it was going to cause a chimney fire so it wouldn't be immediately obvious. I have to wonder if the eldest daughter wondered about it later if it wasn't just an action added for effect.

I liked the fact that we all hoped there would be incriminating evidence on the video camera but I think the camera and videos were just the director's great device to bring us a closer look at the whole family before the murder and to deepen the character studies. If the camera was actually stolen from the house then I think either the killer simply fancied it for his daughter or he'd been instructed, spitefully, to take it since the wife obviously loved it.

Also, I thought the ending was perfect for a case that has never truly been solved. We are maybe too used to the UK and US endings informing us of any current developments or appeals or when the convicted person is due to be released in a blurb at the end.

I am desperate now to read up on the case to see if his daughters remain convinced of their Father's innocence to this day and if the convicted killer is still serving out his sentence in jail or paroled.

It was touching that the eldest daughter finally made amends with her aunt after all they'd been through. I think that it was the best way to end the story because it is was so poignant and the real family has just been left with doubt.
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9/10
A MUST SEE! VERY TENSE AND REALISTIC.
Guanche4823 May 2022
This series is a must see, without a doubt.

The quality is very good, in everything! .. The actors, the photography, the story, the emotion...I finished watching it quickly because it's short, and veeery good, Until the end it leaves you thinking and putting things together all the time. Very exciting, tense and realistic to the max.
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