‘Under a Dark Sun’ (2025) Netflix Series Review - Only Isabelle Adjani Is Worth Your Time

Two shows exist within the new Netflix crime thriller Under a Dark Sun/Soleil Noir. One of them deals with family drama over a property dispute, while the other ventures into the dark comedy region. The latter features an amusing Isabelle Adjani, who, as Beatrice, arrives at her husband's funeral in a pink dress and delivers a eulogy that's ChatGPT-generated. Either no one informed Adjani that this is supposed to be a tense crime thriller, or the actress got bored with the twisty drama and decided to have fun on her own terms. Whatever the case may be, we should all thank her for cutting herself loose from the show's narrow and unremarkable goals. Adjani brings a pleasant comic energy to Under a Dark Sun — her performance alone makes it worth hitting the play button. 

As for other things, they aren't particularly interesting or memorable. This doesn't mean the series begins on a sour note. There is a sufficient amount of intrigue at first. Alba Mazier (Ava Baya) takes her son, Leo (Max Harter), and runs from her house, reaching Arnaud's (Thibault de Montalembert) flower farm in search of a job. A reluctant Arnaud hires Alba, but the very next day, he's murdered. Given Alba's history, she doesn't call for help when she notices his corpse. Instead, she runs and starts packing her bag to immediately vacate the premises. A police officer, however, knocks on her door, takes her to the station, and sees her as the prime suspect. We know that Alba is innocent, but Under a Dark Sun doesn't waste much time in introducing another twist to shock us: Alba is revealed to be Arnaud's daughter! Oh yes, at this point, I was absolutely hooked. It's a pity, then, that the series doesn't reward your interest and your complete attention. 

With creepy basements, sex tapes, and near-death experiences (Alba is buried alive in the coffin beside Arnaud), Under a Dark Sun, at least, remains watchable up to the fourth episode. Yet, the cracks become visible almost immediately. Alba and Leo's relationship is limited to drama at hand - it just moves the plot forward. Alba befriends an Arabic worker, Noor (Amina Ben Ismail), and at a crucial moment, she, expectedly, disappears. These employees are used as foreign props. Their thoughts on the country or their job are left unexplored. After a disturbing reveal, one of the employees tells Mathieu (Guillaume Gouix) that he never considered them as humans, that he never thought about them. This sentiment doesn't hurt because these field workers are merely depicted as faces in the crowd. And I know these questions shouldn't ideally be asked, but why didn't Alba put that DVD in her pocket before running from the creepy basement? In one episode, Alba enters a care center, and no staff member or security guard stops her. Nobody seems to be present on the premises until the plot requires them to appear. Do these patients not deserve proper protection? 

It's not that difficult to figure out who could be the master criminal, which is why Under a Dark Sun is wrapped with twists upon confusing twists for the sake of misdirection. The result is less shocking and more ludicrous. Episodes 5 and 6, on the other hand, drift you along a predictable path with such monotony that what could have been silly, entertaining revelations end up feeling exhausting and lifeless. The estate is a sinking ship right from the show's beginning. Unfortunately, the story soon starts to mirror its descent.

Final Score- [3.5/10]
Reviewed by - Vikas Yadav
Follow @vikasonorous on Twitter
Publisher at Midgard Times