VORTEX on Netflix is a new mini-series from France with six hour-long episodes. A crime, thriller, sci-fi, and mystery series reminiscent of Frequency and The Butterfly Effect. Do check it out. Read our Vortex series review here!
VORTEX is new French mini-series on Netflix. It originally premiered in France on France TV 2, but the fantastic reviews from both critics and viewers obviously meant it was perfect for a wide Netflix release.
The new Sci-Fi, Thriller, Mystery mini-series has just six episodes and is very binge-worthy. A quick glance at user reviews on IMDb should tell you as much. Also, within the first episode, I got a heavy vibe of the elements used in both Frequency and The Butterfly Effect.
Do not miss out on this new Netflix addition!
Continue reading our Vortex mini-series review below. Find it on Netflix from June 2, 2023.
Frequency meets The Butterfly Effect
The core story in Vortex revolves around communicating across time and trying to change the past. In that sense, the story is very reminiscent of both Frequency and The Butterfly Effect. The latter especially because you cannot change one thing without having it impact other things.
In any case, the core story of Vortex is set in 2025. Here, the police detective Ludovic Béguin (known simply as “Ludo”) is working in the French coastal city of Brest. He lost the love of his life, Melanie, 27 years prior in a tragic accident.
When Melanie died in 1998, their daughter was still a baby, so we also follow the adult version of their child in 2025.
Now, while studying a VR-constructed version of a crime scene, Ludo stumbles on a strange glitch.
The glitch results in Ludo being able to talk with Mélanie, who is now living in 1998, just a few days before her death, in 1998. Maybe it’s because Melanie died on that very same beach 27 years earlier.
Of course, Ludo can’t help himself from trying to save Melanie from her very sudden and tragic death. However, he realizes that changing the past means a risk of losing his own life in the present. This includes his current wife Parvana and their son Sam.
Tomer Sisley stars in Vortex
The main protagonist is the police investigator Ludvic “Ludo” Béguin and he’s portrayed by Tomer Sisley. In Vortex, Tomer Sisley plays the same character in two time periods. It works surprisingly well thanks to a bit of special effects makeup and different styling choices.
The two time periods are during the summer of 1998 and on the same date in 2025. Setting the story during a key event in France (they won the FIFA World Cup in 1998) and in the not-too-distant future is quite inventive.
Choosing a time period that’s just a few years into the future makes way for the sci-fi element of the story. The police have gotten a few new gadgets that aren’t that advanced, so it’s relatable and makes sense. Also, like the radio in Frequency, it enables the connection to 1998.
In case the name Tomer Sisley doesn’t ring a bell, you should still expect to find him familiar. He was in the amazing ensemble cast of the Netflix movie Don’t Look Up (2021) and the Netflix series Messiah (2020). Also, he has been in movies and TV series for over 25 years now.
Camille Claris plays the role of Mélanie, who dies in 1998, but Ludo is somehow able to communicate with her via virtual reality in 2025. As Ludo’s partner on the new case in 2025, we see Éric Pucheu as Nathan. The adult version of Ludo’s daughter is portrayed by Anaïs Parello (Mortel).
Watch Vortex on Netflix now!
The creators of Vortex are Camille Couasse and Sarah Farkas. It’s based on an original idea by Franck Thilliez, who has worked on a few TV series and written several novels over the past 15 years or so.
Slimane-Baptiste Berhoun is the director of all the episodes in the mini-series. He has worked as a director on several TV series in the past, but often more along the lines of drama or comedy. Vortex may have drama (what doesn’t?) but not much comedy. It gets pretty dark fast!
As mentioned earlier, this French mini-series has just six episodes and the story is so engaging that it’s difficult not to binge-watch it. The episodes are hour-long, but it doesn’t feel like the story is dragged out.
Vortex is out on Netflix in 190 countries from June 2, 2023.
Details
Creators: Camille Couasse, Sarah Farkas
Directors: Slimane-Baptiste Berhoun
Stars: Tomer Sisley, Camille Claris, Zineb Triki, Éric Pucheu, Sandrine Salyères, Ludovik, Anaïs Parello, Léo Chalié
Plot
After reconnecting with his dead wife through a glitch in virtual reality, a police officer tries to negate the mysterious accident that cost her life.
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