Did OTT platforms crack the code, or did they turn fun formulaic? A stunning backdrop, some gray characters, an eat-the-rich angle, and past trauma have now become murder mystery/thriller essentials! In recent times, the popularity of HBO’s The White Lotus has sparked this ‘murder in a vacation spot’ craze, and of course, every other show is pretty much trying to execute the same. Not that this is a completely new phenomenon, but evidently it has become a widely favored subgenre at present. As someone who thoroughly enjoyed The White Lotus, I’m not complaining about watching affluent characters sipping margaritas, oblivious that a potential killer is lurking amongst them. But the trick is not to repeat what has already been done and come up with a plot convoluted enough for that edge-of-the-seat experience, now that is where most of the shows are failing. Amazon’s new release, Malice, starring Jack Whitehall, David Duchovny, and Carice van Houten, does away with the whodunit angle; we already know the killer from the first episode, but the question that the show explores through the six episodes is, why?
Adam Healey, a male tutor/manny, joins the venture capitalist Jamie Tanner and his family on their Greek vacation. He was invited by Jules and Damien, friends of Jamie and his wife, Nat, and Adam was happy to spend a luxurious vacation for free. He was a people pleaser, and he immediately became a crowd favorite, though Jamie was suspicious of him from the start. He didn’t quite like the young man’s desperation to impress them, but then again, he figured Adam was simply trying his best to fit in. From the very first episode, the audience became well aware of Adam’s intentions. He wasn’t simply there to have a good time or to steal a few valuables for his own collection. He very specifically held deep resentment towards Jamie, but the audience was kept in the dark about the reason behind his hatred. Considering Adam’s first move was to fling Jamie’s passport into the ocean, it was evident that Adam wanted to trap Jamie on the island. One of the characteristics that really stood out was Adam’s cool composure; even when he was caught snooping in the Tanners’ room, he didn’t lose his cool and managed to wriggle out of the awkward situation quite easily. He was also a smooth talker, and that always came in handy. There were two versions of Adam—an over-friendly male tutor who seemed to have everything under control, and a manic young man who didn’t hesitate to snap the neck of a stray cat. As long as he needed a favor from someone, he preferred being their best friend, but the moment he was done with their help, he became ruthless to them and didn’t hesitate to hurl curses at them under his breath. There was clearly something wrong with Adam; he was far from the man he claimed to be. But if he was not the man he said he was, then who was he really? And what was his relationship with the Tanner family, particularly Jamie Tanner? Through the six episodes these questions are answered.
The location shifts from Greece to London and back to Greece for the climax. Visually, the show is alluring; there is something about evil lurking in a tourist destination that somehow always gives you the chills. The characters are intriguing—Jamie and Nat’s chemistry hinted that although there were moments when Nat wondered if she made the right decision by marrying Jamie, they were still in love, and Jamie was clearly obsessed with her. Nat didn’t appreciate Jamie’s lack of appreciation for her business sensibilities, and she didn’t wish to have a career based solely on her husband’s ‘mercy.’ This was Jamie’s second marriage, and there were days when he messed it up, but he tried to always make up for it. Jamie was a proud man with a big ego; he knew he had immense power as the founder of a recognized venture capitalist firm, and when it came to his children, he didn’t hesitate to abuse his position in exchange for favors. He is a morally gray character, and it didn’t really come as a surprise that someone out there wanted him gone.
The build-up in Malice outweighs the climax. The extent of Adam’s willingness to seek revenge on Jamie, along with the question of whether he would get caught before executing his final stunt, is what will keep you hooked to the screen. But the climax, unfortunately, is not impactful enough to make the show memorable. It’s somewhat predictable, and especially when you have a character like Adam, you would expect something shocking or disturbing to happen, and it’s kind of a shame that the focus was more on the buildup to the confrontation than the actual face-off.
Actor and comedian Jack Whitehall (Bad Education, Mother’s Day) adds the creep factor to the Adam Healey character. His eyes revealed his true intentions, but his smile was always a good distraction. His exaggerated expressions/dialogue/moves are subtly humorous. David Duchovny (Californication, The X-Files) is thoroughly convincing as the cocky venture capitalist, Jamie Tanner, someone who will potentially always slip into every conversation how he has successfully built his company. But then again, his immense love for his family and desperation to be on top of everything that was going wrong in his life make him relatable. He is worth rooting for, although from the start, Jamie’s fate is already revealed to the audience. Carice Van Houten (Game of Thrones, Black Book) aptly captures Nat Tanner’s contradictions. She was in love with Jamie, but there was a side of her that searched for something more, perhaps a desperate attempt to connect with the version of herself that she’d left behind.
Overall, Amazon Prime’s Malice isn’t exceptional enough to stand out in the murder thriller crowd, but then again, the six episodes are engaging enough for a quick watch. Don’t expect to be completely blown away, and if you’re someone who prefers a neatly tied-up ending, then maybe this one is not for you.
