I watched the beginning of the new Russian game “How to Train a Fox.” A new hit about a maniac’s daughter, and it’s tough

The new Russian series “How to Tame a Fox” just appeared on Okko, and after a couple of days it was already quoted in stories, discussed on social networks and argued in Telegram channels.

I often came across “shorts” with laces from the project and decided to see what they were. The viral effect is not accidental.

“The Fox” is captivating not because of its plot or its stars (although there are wonderful actors here), but with some almost primitive craving for the gloomy and real. Against the backdrop of endless sitcoms and sterile detective stories, the series sounds more alive.

I watched the first three episodes and I hasten to share my impressions.

Here silence works better than special effects

What is the series about?: An animal psychologist studying foxes picks up a reclusive girl, Dina, in the forest and saves her life, but becomes suspicious of her friend’s murder.

He is forced to begin an independent investigation, and to do this he needs to establish contact with someone distant from society. the norm of a girl who doesn’t talk to anyone and doesn’t give a reason.

It’s rare that a series can be “heard.” Not music, not lines, but silence itself. In “How to Train a Fox” she home. There is no pursuit of pacing here: frames drag on, pauses stretch out, characters remain silent for a long time or do nothing. At the same time, events now and then unfold in the past, now in the present.

The camera is not in a hurry to follow the actors, but seems to be peeping from somewhere behind the bushes. Everything happens slowly: from incidents to the development of Dina, the main character of the game.

Yes, some viewers may find this behavior “too slow.” But this is where the strength lies. Don’t shove in the plot twists of chapter five, give time to stand still for minutes with the characters.

Actors who don’t act. And suddenly I like it

In this series, no one tries to play their role at all. And this is the main compliment, strangely enough, it was not said.

Almost no screams, hysterics, monologues. People talk as if they really live there. As for even those moments when some kind of heat of passion occurs, they try to run out of the hospital.

Kirill Kyaro in Alexander’s videos is the heart of the game. His hero became a kind of scientist with the soul of a poet, but with a series of demons that passed through every conversation with Dina. Kyaro plays in such a way that you believe his every word, even when he doesn’t believe himself.

Taisya Kalinina in Dina’s videos gathered everything at once: fear, rage and secrets. Her eternal silence screams louder than words.

And the chemistry between the characters is immediately captivating (like Joela and Ellie in The Last of Us). Female images here are a whole different story. They are not “strong heroines,” but rather survivors—a little predatory and lost.

The truth you can’t hide from

Modern audiences seem to yearn for a story where you don’t have to guess the plot twist, but just feel it. And this is exactly what this series is about: it does not entertain, but infects with a state of mind.

The plot itself leads to an unexpected story of the transfer of a serial maniac from a not entirely reliable side. The first episodes bite into the viewer. Traumas, family secrets, hints of a cult: all this is intertwined in such a way that you wonder who is the beast and who is the hunter. The topic of animal psychology is offered as a metaphor for working with people. She is fresh and not beaten up.

The war scenes are presented harshly and not to shock. They show the whole essence of this action.

Here the main figure becomes not people, but the taiga. Everything is filmed in such a way that you get goosebumps from what is happening around you, and not even from the legitimate persons. There is a feeling of claustrophobia, as if you are personally locked in the forest.

This world is cold, dirty, uncomfortable, but at the same time alive. There is no glamor or polished shots here. It’s impossible to remain too indifferent here, because everything looks real.

The script itself is far from ideal. Sometimes he gets ahead of such a slow pace, sometimes he confuses the line. Everything moves somehow unevenly, but at the same time it does not irritate. Not fancy, but just good.

“How to Tame a Fox” approaches where the viewer has no protection: in the zone of fatigue, loneliness, cold.

Worth a look

“How to Tame a Fox” does not resolve the answers without making beautiful final points, there is no music to “close” the gestalt.” It’s just quietly evolving.

This is not a show for everyone. Those who are waiting for a drive will run away after the first episode. And if you want to experience the series, then stick around for a long time.

“How to Train a Fox” will primarily appeal to fans of “Fisher” or “Twin Peaks.” These issues are of serious concern, and not just over who is responsible for the murders.