Throughout, the abuses perpetrated by everyday whites — technically non-monsters — take on an extra malevolence; the occultists, obsessed with eternal life, have at least an understandable motivation. Most of this material works as both allegory and action, and particularly in its first few episodes, directed by Yann Demange (“White Boy Rick”) and Daniel Sackheim, “Lovecraft Country” gets the blend right. The characters and story are engaging, and the production has a dreamy but vivid feel that hints at Lovecraft’s mesmeric quality while avoiding his florid excesses. (The racism and misogyny that scar Lovecraft’s writings are briefly mentioned.) The actors compensate to some extent for the drift, particularly Vance as the peaceable George and the formidable Wunmi Mosaku as Ruby, Leti’s no-nonsense sister, who aspires to a salesclerk’s job at Marshall Field.

Source: New York Times August 13, 2020 17:48 UTC