In 1984, the slit bodies of Brenda Lafferty and her baby were found in Utah. Brenda's husband and her brothers, who were part of an extremist group within the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, were investigated as suspects of the heinous crime. This is a true case and it is the basis for the miniseries Under the Banner of Heaven.

Based on Jon Krakauer's non-fiction book of the same name (Into the Wild), a former member of the Mormon Church who investigated this real case and juxtaposed it with the origins of the Mormon Church, the work is adapted by Dustin Lance Black, Oscar winner for Best Original Screenplay for Milk, and also a former member of the Mormon Church.

For the fiction, Lance Black introduced a character into his story who does not appear in the book, Inspector Jeb Pyre, played by Andrew Garfield, who functions as a counterpart to Krakauer.

Pyre is a member of the Mormon Church and the detective in charge of investigating the case of the murder of Brenda Lafferty and her baby, a job he performs alongside his partner Bill Taba (Gil Birmingham, Yellowstone), a Native American police officer who brings an outside view to the religious process, a character also created for the series.

In its seven episodes, the series follows Pyre's investigation, interspersed with the Lafferty's past and the history of Mormonism; a religion founded in 1830 by Joseph Smith, with some sordid origins that have been kept hidden by the institution. Few of its members know these chapters of the past. No one talks about them and they wouldn't dare to ask, as it would be considered a serious offense.

In front and behind the camera

Garfield and Birmingham are joined by actors such as Daisy Edgar-Jones (Normal People, Twisters), Sam Worthington (Avatar), Rory Culkin (Waco), Wyatt Russell (The Falcon and the Winter Soldier), Billy Howle (The Serpent), and Chloe Pirrie (The Queen's Gambit), among others.

Its creator, Dustin Lance Black, is an LGBTQ rights activist who grew up in the Mormon faith until his mother moved to Salinas, California, in his teens and they left the religion. He was a writer for Big Love, creator and director of When We Rise, and won the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay in 2008 for the biopic of Harvey Milk. The director of photography is Craig Wrobleski, who has worked on series like Legion, Fargo, and Tales from the Loop. Renee Read (The Maid) was in charge of production design.

Comparisons with 'True Detective'

Upon its premiere, it was compared to True Detective. Not only because it takes place in a small community, or its connection to religious elements, or because the detective couple holds long conversations in the car, but also for its sombre tone and sinister murders.

But where Under the Banner of Heaven shines the most is precisely in what sets it apart from the HBO series. Although it is also very atmospheric and virtuous in its image treatment: regarding the representation of violence, it chooses to suggest instead of show.

It also succeeds in developing the central conflict of the protagonist detective, who as he learns about the origins of Mormonism and advances in the investigation, begins to question the religious education his daughters are receiving.

The magnificent performances of its stellar cast, together with impeccable direction and atmospheric editing, complete this fascinating story about the exploration of faith, gender roles in patriarchal institutions, and the perversion of fundamentalist religious messages.

*This article has been automatically translated using artificial intelligence