Review: Colin Farrell terrifies and mesmerizes in ‘The Penguin’

This isn’t Gotham like you remember it.
Sure, the infamous city of the one and only Batman has always been portrayed in comics, movies and television as a seedy, crime-infested hellscape with a few skyscrapers thrown in. The cops are dirty, the politicians are corrupt and even the criminals are too evil for the other criminals. This is the town that Heath Ledger’s Joker from “The Dark Knight” just wanted to watch burn.
But there’s something even grimmer about the Gotham portrayed in HBO’s new Batman-adjacent “The Penguin” (Thursday, 9 EDT/PDT, moves to Sundays starting Sept. 29, ★★★ out of four). This Gotham is full of the same bad guys, violent crime and lack of sunlight (seriously, it’s always overcast in Gotham), but this time there’s no hope. That’s perhaps because there’s no hero here: no Batman, no CGI, no battles of good and evil. Just Tony Soprano in Gotham City. Or rather, Colin Farrell as the titular villain in layers of prosthetic makeup trying to make a profit and gain some power amid the chaos. It’s fascinating, if deeply depressing, to watch.
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Farrell is reprising the role you couldn’t believe he played in 2022’s “The Batman” alongside Robert Pattinson and Zoe Kravitz. The series takes place in the aftermath of the seawall explosion from the end of the movie (committed by Paul Dano’s Riddler). The city is in disarray and the death of crime boss Carmine Falcone (John Turturro) has left a power vacuum.
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After the Penguin (also known by Oswald Cobblepott, or Oz Cobb, it’s not totally clear) commits an ill-advised crime of passion in the first few minutes of the premiere, he’s forced onto a new and dangerous path to keep himself alive in the complicated criminal underbelly of the city. Oz’s story is not clean and it’s not pretty; he pillages, cheats and murders with abandon. He doesn’t care who he runs over, or how hard. He only cares that he’s alive at the end of another day.
Batman fans will recognize names from the comic books and other shows and films. The mobster Falcone family is prominent, even without Carmine, with psychotic daughter Sofia Falcone (Cristin Milioti, a revelation) taking a leading role. There are other mobsters and criminals in the Penguin’s world, from the slimy Johnny Vitti (Michael Kelly) to Oz’s new green recruit Victor Aguilar (Rhenzy Feliz).
If you don’t recognize anyone, it’s fine. “Penguin” wisely crafts a story that doesn’t require knowledge of the intricacies of Batman lore or even the 2022 film to understand and appreciate. It’s a fully realized story all on its own, which is what every TV show should be, spinoff or not.
Sorry, Batman:Colin Farrell’s ‘sinister’ gangster takes flight in HBO’s ‘The Penguin’
“Penguin” is, more or less, just a crime show that happens to have some Batman villains. It is well thought out by the producers, including “The Batman” director Matt Reeves, Farrell himself and Lauren LeFranc (“Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.”). But the success of the show depends entirely on Farrell’s performance, which is as shocking and disturbing (in a good way) as it was in the film.
Truly there are some onscreen transformations that are impressive, and then there’s what the makeup department has done to Farrell, who is unrecognizable. But in spite of a heavy layer of silicon and who knows what else on his face, the actor never lets anything get in the way of his cold, unsettling character.
He’s helped chiefly by Milioti, who is gleefully unhinged as Sofia, aka The Hangman. She’s a deranged killer that has been released from Arkham Asylum and is being shunned by her own family for her, well, impulsive ways. Milioti’s giant eyes, which have helped her play lovable and adorable characters in the past, are instead windows into a demonic soul, deployed in ways discomfiting and terrifying. She finds in Oz an ally or an enemy or both. Either way, the two actors are exquisite in their shared scenes, which are the best part of the series.
“Penguin” is at many times far too morose and dark. No one is expecting a comedy, but there is a fine line between grisly storytelling that is compelling and plots so depressing (and sometimes boring) you want to turn off the TV. “Penguin” jumps back and forth over the line for the eight-episode season.
Still, it’s hard to keep your eyes off Farrell. He is committed to the role, to say the least. He might make you worried if you don’t watch.
Who knows what the Penguin would do to us?