Two Summers review: A slow-burn thriller that attempts to address important issues

Released on June 3, 2022, Two Summers (Twee Zomers) is the latest foreign language series to join Netflix's roster of thriller and suspense genres.

The Belgian TV drama is six episodes long and draws viewers' attention right off the bat due to a thrilling plot centered around a group of friends.

The official synopsis for Two Summers reads:

"A close circle of friends reunites for a lavish holiday – decades after one of them was the victim of a s*xual assault committed by others in the group."

In slow-burning fashion, the series unfolds to reveal secrets and shocking twists spread between two timelines, 30 years apart. It begins with a shock delivered in the form of a blackmail and a scandalous video and ends with a host of revelations and tragedies.

Throughout the narrative, questions are raised about consent, guilty conscience and culpability of bystanders.

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Two Summers recap: The past comes knocking with a box of nightmares

When a group of friends plans to reunite for a lavish holiday after 30 years, they realize that their relaxing getaway is far from relaxed. They begin to face sobering and all too frightening consequences for events that took place three decades ago.

A scandalous video of five 20-year-olds taking the definition of fun too far comes back to haunt them. There are also added stakes of 100 bitcoins, with their prized reputations getting besmirched.

The six episodes unravel a Pandora's box of secrets among friends, including crimes that begin to unleash their consequences.

Tensions are created and friends are divided as the suspect walks among them. The series takes viewers through thrilling drama as everyone is kept guessing about the blackmailer's identity and motives. Meanwhile, additional twists, some predictable, some surprising, are thrown into the mix.

Ultimately, the series begs the questions: "How much fun is too much fun?" and "Who is at fault for crimes so tricky and nuanced?"

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Chaotic casting in Two Summers: It takes a bit getting used to

Two Summers stars An Miller as Romée, Tom Vermeir as Peter, Herwig Ilegems as Didier, Inge Paulussen as Sofie, Kevin Janssens as Luk, Ruth Becquart as Saskia and Vincent Van Sande as Stef.

Their younger versions are played by Marieke Anthoni, Lukas Bulteel, Bjarne Devolder, Louise Bergez, Tijmen Govaerts and Tine Roggeman, respectively.

The first episode introduces the viewers to a fairly large cast comprising of the protagonists in their 20s and 50s. However, it takes some time to recognize the younger and older versions of the characters as their faces are very distinct.

The casting could have been better and less confusing for the viewers to keep track of.

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In the surface-level suspense of Two Summers, the plot never thickens

In general discourse, the issues of consent and accountability of passive encouragers are often tricky and nuanced. Many shows and movies have covered these themes.

Fans of the thriller and drama genre might have come across Netflix's Anatomy of a Scandal, which has covered similarly sensitive themes.

While Two Summers is another attempt at bringing attention to the nuances of young men just having 'fun' and taking it too far, it doesn't do a good job. For the most part, the men in the series are only seen deliberating their actions and their consequences while providing unimpressive justifications for them.

To add to the dry narrative, additional shockers and forced twists are thrown in. The use of flashbacks is also excessive and repetitive. Moreover, showing the tape of the assault repeatedly to create emphasis might makes things uncomfortable, to say the least.

Instead of exploring the characters' depths and how they are impacted by the issues, the series maintains a shallow tone. It starts off slowly and picks up pace in the last episode, where friendships are terminated and tensions explode.

Regardless, Two Summers gives viewers of the thriller genre some quality drama. If nothing else, it certainly leaves them with food for thought and introspective questions. After playing a guessing game of "Who is the blackmailer?", viewers are challenged to determine, "Who is really at fault here?".

Note: This article is subjective and reflects the opinions of the writer