Copenhagen Cowboy: Nicolas Winding Refn’s thriller gets mixed reviews from fans and critics

If you are in the mood for mingling with Copenhagen’s notorious criminal underworld, then go ahead and join Miu in her nocturnal adventures. Copenhagen Cowboy premiered on OTT on January 5 and already has several users either posting praise or slamming it for its dark hues and content. The plot summary on IMDb is enigmatic and talks about Miu’s search for justice and enacting vengeance. As she does that, she encounters her nemesis, Rakel, and together they embark on an odyssey through the natural and the supernatural.

The series is directed by Nicolas Winding Refn, who is known for making Pusher III in 2005 and Drive, a few years later. Says camildumont-56701 in a review on IMDb, “Story and pace needs to be prioritized over style and introspection, otherwise only snobs and artists show up and that would just be an absolute waste of your (NWR) talent.”

The reviewer adds: I am a huge NWR fan but I think he went too far with this one.” Another naysayer, Filmfanatic2023 says, “Nicolas Winding Refn’s latest mini-series, “Copenhagen Cowboy,” is a visually striking but ultimately shallow and repetitive exploration of the criminal underworld in Copenhagen. The main character, Miu, is portrayed by Angela Bundalovic as a blank slate who is largely disconnected from the events happening around her, which can be exhausting for the viewer.”

Twetestxbox has, however, given it an over-the-top rating of 8/10. “It’s great, and rare, to be presented with a TV show that leaves you wondering for hours and days afterwards…This is something to be cherished, especially in an entertainment world chock full of formulaic drabness built on algorithms, fan service and commercialism.”

All six episodes are up on OTT and the storyline in short shows Miu’s arrival at an Eastern European’s family’s home and her introduction to a dark, Copenhagen underworld exploiting undocumented immigrants.

Likewise, critic reviews are also mixed. The Hollywood Reporter’s critic exults, “Whatever you’re expecting to see from a Nicolas Winding Refn TV series for Netflix, Copenhagen Cowboy probably has it”. Joel Keller of Decider agrees as he pens, “If you’re a fan of Refn’s previous work, or just want to be immersed in a mysterious world that doesn’t quite look like real life, then this show should be able to scratch that itch.”

So, should you watch the show or give it a skip? The consensus is that if you are a fan of the director, then certainly, watch it, reads a review on the Spanish website, Otroscines.com. The reviewer says, “If one manages to abstract themselves from those whims, excesses, arbitrariness and even ridiculousness of NWR… the experience becomes more and more fascinating and intoxicating.”

Ramon C was clearly taken in by what he terms, “a weird show.” A review on rottentomatoes.com says, “It was very weird, but interesting. It might be the Spanish translation which made it weird… at times it felt like a strange Japanese anime show.”

Arthur A showers praise on the mini-series for its stunning visuals and great soundtrack, while Zack S labels it a “psychedelic masterpiece.”

The tomatometer rating is 6.4/10, while on IMDb, it scores 6.7/10. These are decent scores and suggest that if you like content in the drama-action-horror-crime genre, then begin watching. If nothing else, you are going to be hooked by the fantastic hues and shades of blue that come so vividly alive in the show.

As H Perry Horton says on his Twitter handle: “Every. F***ing. Frame. is a masterpiece.”