By Susan Granger
The new crime thriller “The Last Frontier” begins as a government transport plane carrying 18 federal inmates and one highly classified prisoner crashes in the vast frozen wilderness just outside of Fairbanks, Alaska. Was it an accident? Or was it planned? And is there a complicated conspiracy to unravel?
Those are the questions facing U.S. Marshal Frank Remnick (Jason Clarke), along with the F.B.I. – who seem to have an inordinate amount of interest in re-capturing that highly classified convict known as Havlock (Dominic Cooper).
Frank’s mission is made far more difficult – and personal – when his wife Sarah (Simone Kessell), a nurse, is kidnapped and their teenage son Luke (Tait Blum) disappears. Plus there’s the unexpected arrival of secretive C.I.A. operative Sidney Scofield (Hayley Bennett), who knows far more than she’s ready to divulge.
Meanwhile, there are other violently dangerous fugitives on the loose, each with his/her own story – terrorizing various innocent inhabitants of this tight-knit community in their desperate struggle to survive.
“We’re not buying time,” Frank notes. “We’re borrowing it.”
Created/co-written by Jon Bokenkamp (“The Blacklist”) and Richard D’Ovidio (“The Call”), the ten-episode series turns out to be a somewhat predictable manhunt/procedural, filled with clichés and cooking on a slow-burner. Think: “Con-Air” in the snow.
What makes it unique is the spectacular scenery, rugged landscapes cinematically captured by cinematographer Barry Donlevy. Veteran Canadian location manager Michele St-Arnaud found suitable locales in and around Montreal, Quebec City, Calgary and Alberta’s Rockies, while production designer David Sandefur manages to make the raw ‘winter’ tundra a pivotal character in the story.
Apple TV hasn’t officially announced whether there will be a Season 2 renewal yet – decisions typically come after the season finale airs on December 5th and executives evaluate viewership data, critical reception and audience engagement. On the Granger Gauge of 1 to 10, “The Last Frontier” is an edgy, suspenseful 6, streaming on Apple TV.
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Susan Granger
Westport resident Susan Granger grew up in Hollywood, studied journalism with Pierre Salinger at Mills College and graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with highest honors in Journalism. In addition to writing for newspapers and magazines, she has appeared on radio and television as an anchorwoman and movie critic for many years. Read all her reviews at susangranger.com.
This is the biggest mess I have ever seen !!! Such a mess we have watched at least 7 episodes. Only conspiracy buffs will follow it closely. We just like the constant disclosures, the inmate survivors in orange jump suits surviving in sub arctic temperatures, the awful acting, the lack of sequence – howling !