‘God Complex’ talks about parental carelessness and the nature of cruel thoughts, but so far too straightforwardly and sterilely.

On February 3, the series ‘God Complex’ starring Kirill Kyaro and Daniil Strakhov premieres on KION. This project has every chance of becoming a streaming hit. We could say this with more confidence if the authors were less didactic and more relaxed. Let’s break down what we saw in the first two episodes of the show.

Are Thoughts Criminal?

The eight-year-old daughter of famous pianist Konstantin Zobnin (Shamil Khamatov), Sonya, is bored and disturbs the adults celebrating the end of another concert, so her parents carelessly allow her to go for a walk. This fateful decision leads to Sonya disappearing without a trace.

At the same time, the controversial businessman Vladimir Nesterov (Daniil Strakhov) turns to psychotherapist Alexei (Kirill Kyaro) and at their first meeting asks whether the doctor will be on his side if he kills his child. And while Alexei, intrigued by the unusual case, tries to establish contact with his patient, who is plagued by obsessive thoughts, the police begin to find the bodies of other girls.

Many authors like to ponder whether cruel thoughts are themselves a crime. One even built a plot around preventing intended but not yet committed atrocities. Understandably so. This question touches on morality, and it’s hard to find anything more subjective than morality. The intriguing ‘God Complex’ acts as a litmus test, allowing each viewer to draw their own conclusions about the connection between thoughts and real transgressions.

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Two Investigations in One

The character of the infernal Daniil Strakhov contemplates harming girls, drawing viewer suspicion and the suspicion of his therapist, played by Kirill Kyaro in a completely opposite, gentle manner. Thus, the plot develops two investigations simultaneously: the main one conducted by the police and, so to speak, a psychological one.

The main investigation places greater emphasis on issues of parental carelessness. This is certainly an important topic and not overly worn out in our cinema. But, alas, it is explored too straightforwardly and bluntly.

The investigator, played by Mikhail Troynik, directly states statistics about parents’ guilt in the disappearance and death of children, and asks Sonya’s father moralizing questions about upbringing. This excessive didacticism makes ‘God Complex’ less subtle and metaphorical, thus more predictable and simplistic. Sophisticated viewers are unlikely to appreciate this decision by screenwriter Alena Zvantsova (author of the endlessly beautiful ‘The Thaw’ and ‘The Heavenly Court’).

Because of this, viewer interest strongly shifts toward the interaction of the Strakhov-Kyaro duo. It is both more elegantly acted and more wittily written in terms of dialogue. Therefore, as soon as these two disappear from the screen, one’s hand keeps reaching for the fast-forward button.

At the same time, Zvantsova and the project’s director, Flyuza Farkhshatova, seem to have lacked the courage to turn up the dial of madness and cruelty to the maximum. Perhaps we are jumping ahead, but for now, everything feels constrained and sterile. The episodes with Nesterov’s hallucinations lack hallucinogenicity per se, and the reflections on cruelty lack actual cruelty on screen. Although there is potential for both.

Will ‘God Complex’ Surprise Us Later?

The first two episodes served as a thorough exposition. The main story arcs are outlined, and the suspects have become obvious to viewers. The question now is how the authors will handle viewer expectations and the obviously anticipated mind game(s).

If the mysteriousness and ambiguity of Daniil Strakhov’s character develop even more dynamically, and his relationship with the therapist follows a path previously trodden by the Dancy-Mikkelsen duo in the series ‘Hannibal,’ then we can talk about an unequivocal success for KION. We will watch ‘God Complex’ with interest and await pleasant surprises in its plot and direction. If only the authors had more courage and moved away from moralizing tones...