The Tourist review: An engaging thriller set in the Outback hindered by far too many plot holes

Rating: 2.5/5

Story:
Set in the Australian Outback, a Northern Irishman loses his memory after being involved in a deliberate car crash. He wakes up in a hospital with no memory of who he is. As he begins to investigate his past, he stumbles onto an international conspiracy involving drug lords, assassins, murders, and a corrupt police officer.

Review:
The Tourist is a slow-burner that makes no qualms about what it is trying to be, a dash of Chris Nolan’s Memento, a slice of the Bourne trilogy, a bit of Thelma and Louise, a hint of the Mad Max films, and with an overdose of Coen brothers’ signature style. These similarities and inspirations are its strengths and weaknesses in equal measure. The amalgamation of all these popular titles has given it a unique aesthetic that is often not seen in a television show. However, the overindulgence in clichéd tropes undermines the effort the writers have taken to develop some of the pivotal character arcs.

The overall narrative of the series is fairly straightforward — John Doe wakes up in a hospital with no recollection of his past or identity but as he digs deeper into his past, more mysteries are unravelled. Such stories are often seen in a Robert Ludlum or Ken Follet novel. If one can look past these minor deficiencies, there is a thrilling story waiting to be explored. Even though it is pegged as a slow burner, the pace picks up halfway into the series. Jamie Dornan’s excellent performance as the protagonist in search of his identity and his past propels the series to a much higher standard, but it is the delightful performance of Danielle Macdonald as the inquisitive, young probationary constable, Helen, that stands out.

The primary antagonists Kostas, played by Alex Dimitriades, and Billy, played by Ólafur Darri Ólafsson, are easily the most stereotypical bad guys one would find in this genre. Almost all the villains have character traits and quirks that are meant to give added layers of complexity to their narrative arcs but it comes to a point where these quirks become the only memorable contribution to the overarching story. Shalom Brune-Franklin as the mysterious Luci essays a trope that is the template for any femme-fatale in a thriller-mystery, and sadly the shocking twists and turns with regards to her arc devalue her into yet another cliché. This is disappointing considering the potential these tropes have in abundance. It is almost jarring at times as the focus often gyrates towards these overamplified character traits rather than fleshing out compelling arcs for these characters.

The show’s greatest failure, however, is its inability to avoid massive plot holes that completely disrupt the immersive experience the show has to offer. Certain plot holes are so absurd that it is unintentionally funny. While writers did incorporate deliberate humour, often dark in context, it falls flat at the cusp of being cringeworthy. The scene where Doran’s character, who is later revealed to be a man named Elliot Stanley, hallucinates after accidentally consuming LSD is ripped straight from True Detective season one when Matthew McConaughey’s character Rust Cohle’s experiences something similar. While it was intended as a clever plot device in The Tourist to serve a particular purpose, it lacks a certain degree of conviction and nuance.

Despite all of its flaws, it does have an edge-of-your-seat aspect about it, especially towards the final two episodes, largely thanks to Damon Herriman’s portrayal of Detective Inspector Lachlan Rogers. The series also delves into themes of death, redemption, and existentialism — albeit with a distinct lack of subtlety. It also toys explores cyclic narrative trajectories with plenty of foreshadowing littered across the series.

Verdict:
Jamie Dornan and Danielle Macdonald excel in their respective roles and elevate the series to a higher standard. However, this melting pot of overused tropes, visuals, and subplots shackle an otherwise engaging TV series.