Review of “The Penguin”: Colin Farrell brilliantly portrays the rise of his villain from “The Batman”

Over the years, there have been so many versions of the Batman saga in cinema and on television that the question of whether the miniseries “The Penguin” will now be released is quite natural: So which Penguin is this, which Batman is he connected to and where are we on the timeline?

I’ll be happy to explain the menu. This eight-chapter HBO release from Lauren LeFranc is set one week after the events of Matt Reeves’ 2022 feature The Batman, with an almost unrecognizable Colin Farrell reprising his role from the film as Oz’s “The Penguin” Cobb. This is a dark, gritty, grounded crime drama; don’t expect any appearances by costumed heroes showing up in the night to save the day.

It’s not really the Penguin’s origin story, as he was already established as a monstrous villain in the Reeves film, but it is the saga of the Penguin’s rise from underboss of the mafia to one of the prime candidates to take over the criminal operations of Gotham City. With fitting noir direction and cinematography, a doomsday score by Mick Giacchino, and outstanding performances from Farrell and the entire cast, The Penguin is gripping, compelling television.

The Penguin draws influences from 1940s gangster films such as White Heat, The Godfather saga and especially The Sopranos, as well as Tony’s complex and tangled relationship with his domineering and cruel mother. The film begins with large parts of Gotham under water after the Riddler detonates a series of bombs that destroy the seawall surrounding the city. This catastrophic event has heightened tensions between the citizens who are struggling to make ends meet in the poorer neighborhoods that have been almost destroyed, and the bigwigs who still enjoy the luxury life in the more upscale areas of the city.

The death of crime boss Carmine Falcone (played in flashbacks by Mark Strong, who takes over the role of John Turturro in the film) sparks a power struggle for control of the underworld, and Oz seizes this opportunity to seize his power, first with a murder of opportunity and then with a series of strategic moves and underhanded deals and schemes. Oz will say or do anything to finally be seen as someone to be reckoned with, someone who is more than just a crude and bumbling eccentric with the pronounced limp that has earned him the derisive nickname “The Penguin.”

Farrell is simply brilliant, conveying so much with his eyes and his snarling, heavily “New Yawk”-esque lines, but it can be argued that the series’ most dazzling performance comes from Cristin Milioti as Sofia Falcone, the only daughter of Carmine who once had Oz as her personal chauffeur. Milioti delivers a frighteningly effective performance as Sofia, a convicted serial killer known as the Executioner, recently released from the overcrowded Arkham Asylum after serving 10 hellish years for crimes she claims she didn’t commit.

With her sophisticated demeanor, Louboutin heels, pixie haircut, gothic makeup, and stylish ensembles, Sofia looks like she belongs on the red carpet or singing pop songs, but she is a stone-cold psychopath who, like a vampire, thirsts for blood and seeks revenge on those who have wronged her.

Another main cast member is Rhenzy Feliz’s Victor Aguilar, a kind-hearted but troubled teenager whose family was wiped out by the floods and who is taken under Oz’s wing. Let’s just say this is probably not the best internship if you don’t want to get covered in blood. The always great Carmen Ejogo brings value to her somewhat underrated role as Eve, a sex worker who is the closest thing Oz has ever had to a friend. Experienced and talented actors like Clancy Brown, Michael Kelly, Theo Rossi and Shohreh Aghdashloo also make valuable contributions. This is a television series with a first-rate feature cast.

And then there’s mom.

Tony Award-winning actress Deirdre O’Connell pulls out all the stops, practically burning the house down as Oz’s domineering and deranged mother, Francis. Although Oz has no qualms about murdering anyone who stands in his way, he becomes a quivering heap of neediness in the presence of his manipulative, demanding mother. Perhaps this is an origin story for the Penguin after all, one that goes back to a dark, strange, deeply unhappy childhood. Mama has been playing tricks on Oz from the very beginning.