“Brave New World” is a new exclusive on the Kinopoisk HD platform, based on Aldous Huxley’s iconic satirical book.

“Brave New World” by Aldous Huxley is one of the three great literary giants in the dystopian genre, having largely predicted the development of human society, especially in matters of consumption and moral decline. Adapting such a work is always a high risk, but was it worth it for the project of the new streaming platform Peacock? More no than yes. But let’s take it step by step.

Catering to modern viewers

The creators of the series “Brave New World” made many adjustments to the original story to make it more modern and relevant. This includes the introduction of the artificial intelligence Indra into the plot, the replacement of the Indian reservation with vast “savage lands,” and an emphasis on the right to one’s own body.

The main roles in the story are still played by the beta-class woman Lenina (Jessica Brown Findlay), of course named after Vladimir Ilyich, the alpha named Bernard Marx (played by Harry Lloyd from “Game of Thrones”), and the “savage” John (the show’s main star Alden Ehrenreich). It is on their interaction, love triangle, and divergence of views that the development of events in the show is based.

If you are not familiar with the original, the actions of the main characters may seem more or less logical to you, even if not all storylines were fully fleshed out by the writers (characters like Henry, Lenina’s friend, or the first director were clearly written “on the fly”). But if you have read Huxley’s book, you will clearly be disappointed by the shift in emphasis and the reinterpretation of the characters’ personalities. One apparent reason is the creators’ immodest desire not to limit themselves to a single season, while the writer’s ending was obvious and final.

The creators of the series, as it seems, were more concerned with demonstrating that alphas (read: the elite of society) can and should sometimes be denied, rather than raising the numerous questions posed by Huxley. The cult of consumerism in the series is limited to the sexual direction and the consumption of monotonous music (seriously, at some point it may seem that all New London lacks is good music). This makes the story simple and understandable, but far less diverse and multifaceted than it could have been.

An original move could have been the inclusion of artificial intelligence in the narrative. In reality, this storyline received no proper development. It does not stir the mind, does not make the narrative deeper or more ambiguous, and does not bring freshness to the science fiction genre. It feels as if the authors’ wit was limited to the mere introduction of this element into the script. A pity.

Beauty in the details

What you cannot deny the series “Brave New World” is its visual aesthetics and beauty. Attractive actors, nice futuristic sets in the spirit of minimalism, bright party scenes and numerous orgies (no vulgarity noted). And the music that John listens to, let’s be honest, is beautiful.

With special effects, unfortunately, things are not so rosy. It is gratifying that there are at least some. It is nowhere near “Westworld” territory; not the same scale, not the same goals.

Is “Brave New World” worth watching?

Paradoxically, the series “Brave New World” turned out to be the very consumer product that Huxley mocked in his book. It is blatant “chewing gum” that provides virtually no food for thought, trying to mask its existence with visual techniques. While watching, you might feel like you are even experiencing some emotions (excitement, disgust), but after the last episode ends, you are left with nothing. No aftertaste, no residue. Nothing.

Trailer: