‘Untamed’ review: Netflix murder mystery is pretty and compelling

The challenge of scaling the sheer 3,000ft face of El Capitan in Yosemite becomes even trickier for two climbers when they’re struck by the body of a woman who has fallen from the summit. Suicide? Murder? That’s for National Park Service Investigative Services Branch (ISB) special agent Kyle Turner to investigate in Netflix miniseries Untamed. This formulaic but effective procedural, set within the expanse of the national park in California, provides a welcome change of scenery for the murder mystery genre – the epic backdrop adding grandeur to a compelling case.

Also adding craggy appeal is Eric Bana, making the most of his best lead role in some time. As Turner, his well-seasoned salt-and-pepper hair is the iceberg-tip of a character whose past cases and personal setbacks have taken a toll. Separated from ex-wife Jill (Rosemarie DeWitt) with whom he shares a son, Turner has tried to find solutions to his home troubles at the bottom of a bottle but they’re now bleeding into his work. One early scene is soundtracked by Johnny Cash’s ‘God’s Gonna Cut You Down’, which is a good indication of the register he and the show are operating in. There’s something satisfying, too, about his ultra-competence as a tracker – think Bear Grylls with a badge – though Untamed stops short of making him an outright superhero.

Father-and-daughter showrunners Mark L. Smith (The Revenant) and Elle Smith (The Marsh King’s Daughter) adhere pretty closely to the expected template. Unsurprisingly, Turner is paired up with green partner Naya Vasquez (Lily Santiago), freshly transferred from LA and running from her own domestic problems. She’s going to have to learn more than just how to ride a horse to be an effective partner in this mission, given that Yosemite covers the better part of a million acres and we’re told that 100 people go missing there every year. It’s certainly an intriguing location for a contained mystery, with its non-typical law-enforcement set-up, various pockets of communities and occasionally life-threatening wildlife.

While the plot never strays off the beaten track – from predictable story beats to well-worn character arcs, and even some casting that can feel spoilery by default – there’s a sturdy quality to Untamed, anchored by Bana’s impressive grit. The buddy chemistry between Turner and Vasquez evolves nicely, while DeWitt also adds to the class as she over-delivers in her supporting role. Sam Neill, meanwhile, casually brings the kind of easy authority that he can muster in his sleep as Turner’s friend and superior.

At six episodes, Untamed is well paced and structured: it feels substantial enough for a miniseries (unlike many recent examples of the form that have ‘should’ve been a two-hour movie’ energy) without outstaying its welcome. And it’s compulsive enough to demand being wolfed down quickly, without resorting to overly forced cliffhangers to sustain interest. The location might be the freshest thing about Untamed but it remains an easy, enjoyable watch that goes down like a walk in the (national) park.

‘Untamed’ is out July 17 via Netflix

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