War: A battle worth watching?
By Finlay MacLeod
Divorce is rarely a pleasant experience, but in the new drama War, it becomes a full-blown battle where winning is more important than doing what is right.
Starring Dominic West and Sienna Miller, the series follows tech billionaire Morgan Henderson and film star Carla Duvall as their marriage falls apart.
This is not just a story about a relationship gone wrong, however. With two rival law firms fighting to come out on top, the first three episodes explore just how far people are willing to go when money, reputation and power is at stake.
War follows the a tense divorce of a wealthy couple and the court battle that follows.
From the beginning, War makes it clear that neither party is completely innocent. What at first appears as a straightforward case of infidelity, quickly becomes more complicated with both sides using secrets and personal weaknesses to gain an advantage. The introduction of a potentially questionable prenuptial agreement adds another layer to the conflict, keeping the viewers interested in how the case will develop.
One of the show’s standouts is its performances. West brings a certain arrogance to Henderson which makes him hard to sympathise with, while Miller provides depth to her character which makes her more than just the wronged wife. However, it is the lawyers who steal the show. Their determination to win creates some of the most entertaining moments while a history of rivalries adds tension.
Having so many characters, legal arguments and relationships introduced early on can make the story feel slightly overwhelming and at times all the plotting and scheming can make it difficult to know who to root for.
Some viewers may also find the slower pacing frustrating, especially at points when the show spends more time creating tension rather than delivering any major developments.
Having said that, the first three episodes do a great job at establishing the series' central conflict. Rather than relying on dramatic courtroom scenes, War focuses on the people behind the scenes, their ambitions and the consequences of those ambitions. This gives the series a more interesting angle than a typical legal drama.
The series follows two law firms in London as they face off in a scandal ridden divorce case.
Although it hasn’t yet reached its full potential, War has enough entertaining performances, complicated characters and unexpected moments to make it worth watching.
Three episodes in, the biggest question isn’t which side is going to win but how much everyone involved is willing to sacrifice to come out on top.
★★★★