Prime Video’s new war drama wasn’t even on my radar until I saw the latest gripping trailer. Now I’m mentally bracing myself for what’s coming.
The show in question is “The Narrow Road to the Deep North,” an Australian miniseries that premieres on Prime Video U.S. on April 18, meaning we only have to wait a few more days. And there’s already high expectations considering it has an impressive 100% on Rotten Tomatoes.
Based on the Booker Prize-winning novel by Richard Flanagan, the show stars Jacob Elordi as Dorrigo Evans, an army surgeon who’s captured during World War II and forced to work on the Thai-Burma Railway.
The trailer alone sets the stage for something intense, but the real gut-punch comes in the form of a forbidden love story with his uncle’s wife and the emotional wreckage that follows him for decades after the war ends.
I’ve watched the trailer more than once just for the soundtrack and visually stunning shots. Even in the first ten seconds, it holds the emotional weight of this especially dark time, and I have no doubt that Jacob Elordi, Ciarán Hinds, and Odessa Young will deliver deeply grounded performances.
Consider “The Narrow Road to the Deep North” officially moved to the very top of my must-watch list.
What is ‘The Narrow Road to the Deep North’ about?
“The Narrow Road to the Deep North” follows Dorrigo Evans (Jacob Elordi), an Australian army surgeon whose life is forever shaped by the horrors of World War II.
In 1943, Dorrigo becomes a prisoner of war and is forced to endure unimaginable suffering while working on the Thai-Burma Railway — a brutal campaign infamous for its inhumane conditions. As he struggles to survive, memories of a passionate and forbidden affair with his uncle’s wife, Amy (Odessa Young), haunt him.
The show unfolds across three distinct timelines, capturing the complexities of Dorrigo’s past, the intense emotions of war, and his later life as a decorated yet deeply broken man.
What else do we know about ‘The Narrow Road to the Deep North’?
Along with the new trailer and release date, we also have an official synopsis thanks to Prime Video:
“The Narrow Road to the Deep North is a savagely beautiful five-part series charting the life of Dorrigo Evans (played by Jacob Elordi as a young man, with Ciarán Hinds as the older Dorrigo), through his passionate love affair with Amy Mulvaney (Odessa Young), his time held captive in a POW camp, and his later years spent as a revered surgeon and reluctant war hero.
The Narrow Road to the Deep North is an intimate character study of a complex man, a compelling portrayal of the courage and cruelty of war, and an unforgettable love story that sustains one through the darkest of times.”
“The Narrow Road to the Deep North” made its debut at the Berlin Film Festival back in February, where star Jacob Elordi opened up about taking on the role (h/t Deadline):
“It was a dream come true, and it was a filmmaking experience that I haven’t quite had in my life. And honestly, like long live Australian cinema, it is truly a beautiful thing, and I hope to spend a lot of my time there making pitches.”
He then went on to talk about his physical transformation: “There was a peace that sort of came over all of us when we were in the camps, and you reach a level of love that goes beyond what you’re used to in your everyday because everything gets stripped away.
“You’re watching each other and you’re taking care of each other. So it becomes quite primal, and I’m just really grateful to have shared that with these lads and the other boys… it was a really beautiful experience.”
The series, adapted from Richard Flanagan’s novel, brings director Justin Kurzel back together with his long-time writing partner Shaun Grant. Both have shared that the story resonated with them on a personal level, as it echoed their own grandfathers’ experiences in World War II prison camps.
Grant said (h/t Deadline): “I saw the effects that it had on him and I remember the first time I read Richard’s book, I walked away knowing my grandfather better than I did prior to that. He didn’t speak about it. I was fortunate that Richard’s father, who also served on the line, did, otherwise we wouldn’t have the text.
“So that was the personal reason. But with any project, it’s just a story, and it’s just a beautifully constructed story.”
Prime Video, which already holds distribution rights for “The Narrow Road to the Deep North” in several regions including Australia, Canada, and New Zealand, has now picked up the U.S. release from Sony Pictures Television — and it’s set to premiere on Friday, April 18.
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