Locke & Key (TV pilot)
2011
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68% Avg. Tomatometer 84 Reviews 56% Avg. Audience Score 1,000+ Ratings Following their father's murder, three siblings move into a house filled with reality-bending keys; from the comics by...
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Locke & Key: Season 3 Reviews. All Critics. Top Critics. All...
- Season 1
Following their father's murder, three siblings move into a...
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- Verdict
By David Griffin
Updated: Apr 28, 2020 10:36 pm
Posted: Feb 1, 2020 8:01 am
Note: This is a spoiler-free review for Netflix's Locke & Key. If you would like to jump straight to our verdict, check out our condensed Season 1 review in the video above. While we touch upon certain basic plot points that have already been established in the trailers and marketing, we are avoiding discussing any major revelations here.
After nearly a decade of failed attempts to bring a live-action version of Locke & Key to life, Netflix has finally delivered the goods, but was it worth the wait? Based on the graphic novel of the same name written by Joe Hill and illustrated by Gabriel Rodriguez, the series centers on the Locke children, Tyler (Connor Jessup), Kinsey (Emilia Jones), and Bode (Jackson Robert Scott), and their mother Nina (Darby Stanchfield), who move to their ancestral home of "Keyhouse" after the family's patriarch, Rendell (Bill Heck), is murdered.
Fans of the comic book's graphic violence and creepy visuals may be a bit disappointed that Netflix's version leans more into the whimsical aspects of Hill's narrative and less on the terror and bloodshed. Having read the comics myself, it is difficult to ignore the changes in tone and lack of adult content, however, if the streaming giant's goal is to appeal to a larger audience, then I think the series succeeds with some terrific set-pieces, aesthetics, and performances from the leading cast that make Season 1's 10-episode arc a worthy binge.
One of the most emotionally stirring aspects of the series is its effective use of flashbacks, which allows the audience to see the kids interacting with their father, adding believable weight and grief to those relationships. These scenes are great character-building moments for the kids and are so well-realized, it's easy to forget this is all happening because of a magical key. This confident blend of fantasy and real-world drama is Locke & Key's greatest strength. Where the series gets into trouble is when it tries to tackle too many narratives at once.
The series is simultaneously attempting to be a compelling family drama, supernatural thriller, murder mystery, and high school dramedy throughout Season 1, and by attempting to serve several masters, it never completely feels like a cohesive whole. While the family storyline and the fantasy elements involving the keys work well, other aspects of the plot aren't quite as memorable. One example of this is Season 1's villain, Laysla De Oliveira's Dodge, a mysterious figure who torments the Locke family in the hopes of taking possession of their keys. The Canadian-born actress has an incredible on-screen presence that can be alternately charming or menacing, and Oliveira can flip that switch in an instant, giving the character a welcome sense of unpredictability. Her performance isn't the problem, but the character's progression suffers from the way the story has been changed from the graphic novel to appeal to a broader audience.
Netflix's Locke & Key hits the mark when it comes to its slick visuals and a focus on the powerful bonds within the Locke family, anchored by an endearing performance from Jackson Robert Scott as Bode. However, the series struggles to instill any real terror from its main villain due to its focus on whimsy over horror. Having read the original grap...
Locke & Key: Season 3 Reviews. All Critics. Top Critics. All Audience. Aaron Phillips But Why Tho? A Geek Community. Locke and Key Season 3 does a pretty decent job of wrapping up the overarching...
Following their father's murder, three siblings move into a house filled with reality-bending keys; from the comics by Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez. Watch Locke & Key — Season 1 with a ...
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- February 7, 2020
- Jackson Robert Scott
Oct 18, 2021 · Below is a spoiler-free review of Locke & Key Season 2, which debuts on Netflix on Oct. 22. When Netflix finally released the first season of Locke & Key after nearly a decade of failed...
Feb 7, 2020 · Masters the Netflix Recipe—for Better or Worse. The family-ready thriller is woolly and uneven, smart, and a little unbelievable. In other words, it’s straight out of the streaming service's ...
Oct 18, 2021 · Based on a series of graphic novels and overseen by Lost ’s Carlton Cuse, Netflix’s Locke & Key is an ideal horror-ish series for tweens and their parents. With more solid scares than a Disney...
