After several failed attempts to bring Neil Gaiman's The Sandman - widely considered to be the prolific author's most accomplished work to date - to the screen, Netflix's adaptation of the seminal DC Comics series is now streaming.
The review embargo only lifted this morning (not always a great sign so close to release), and so far, the reviews have been very positive indeed.
While the score is certain to fluctuate, The Sandman is currently sitting at 100% (both critics and audience) on Rotten Tomatoes - although it should be noted that only a handful of reviews have been added so far.
You can check out excerpts from some of the reviews below.
"The Sandman is an expansive, layered read with a wide range of characters and intertwining plotlines, but at its core, it is the story of an ancient, immortal being going through an existential crisis and coming to realize that even he is capable of evolving and adapting to the changing world around him," we said in our review. "Netflix's upcoming series never loses sight of this, which is partially what makes it such a staggeringly successful adaptation."
Empire concluded its 4-star verdict with: "With its attention to the source material, its impressive cast, and the kind of expansive world-building that surely demands more seasons, The Sandman is what dreams are made of." Idobi.com was similarly impressed, referring to the show as "a lush and thorny vision of the mayhem and magic that infuses our dreams as much as our world. It is a series made to be enthralling and it does its work well."
"As far as Neil Gaiman adaptations go, "The Sandman" sits squarely in the middle," reads /Film's more mixed take. "The strengths of its source material buoy it through some of its weaknesses, but it has a fair number of those weaknesses — most of which rear their ugly head early on in the first season's 10-episode run. The main weakness being: Dream himself, Tom Sturridge."
Collider awarded a B+, but did point out a few negatives, including some less-than stellar performances: "One common complaint might be that the Rose Walker/Dream Vortex arc that closes out the season ends up being the show's weakest, and it's true those episodes suffer from some tonal inconsistencies as well as a few performances by actors who clearly aren't as seasoned as, say, Dance or Thewlis."
THR enjoyed the season, but felt the adaptation "played it too safe" overall. "It’s not nearly as aimless and artless as Cowboy Bebop — another Netflix production based on an acclaimed but seemingly unfilmable property — but it seems to suffer a similar tendency toward faithfulness to a fault, as well as an aversion to trying anything too boldly different."
The notoriously hard-to-please Guardian gave the series 4 stars, noting that "Neil Gaiman has created 2022’s single greatest hour of TV drama."
Have you guys had a chance to watch any (or all) of The Sandman yet? If so, what did you think? Be sure to share your thoughts in the comments down below.