Messiah : Complete BBC Series 1 & 2 [2001] [DVD]

London, summertime, and a serial murderer is at large, killing his victims in brutal ways and leaving a silver spoon in the mouths as his calling card. What links the victims? Detective Superintendent Red Metcalfe (Ken Stott) assembles a top team and attempts to halt the bloodshed as he simultaneously tries to keep the ghosts in his past from submerging his investigation.Directed by Diarmuid Lawrence and co-adapted to screenplay by Boris Starling (from his own novel) and Lizzie Mickery, Messiah is formed in two parts. Firstly is The First Killings, then The Reckoning. Originally shown over two nights on BBC in 2001, Starling's source proves to be excellently unnerving stuff that translates very well to the screen. The comparisons with David Fincher's Se7en were inevitable, though a touch lazy and unfair given the different worlds they operate in, both cinematically as budgets, and as setting and protagonists portrayals.Lawrence's film has so much going for it to make it an essential viewing for fans of serial killer based thrillers. It has all the key elements in place. The murders are most distressing, with us often having to witness the aftermath of the crimes and thus having to fill in the blanks (urgh). The mystery element is constantly strong, with the makers slowly dripping in clues as to the killer's motives, and then for the second half it becomes a race against time before the genuinely surprising reveal and denouement. The acting is first rate, with Stott (playing an interesting and unique hero), Jamie Draven and Michelle Forbes particularly impressive in tricky roles.The investigative group dynamic is a troubled one, which adds spice to the investigation. Metcalfe has a stormy past that keeps rearing its head to affect his detecting, while his marriage to deaf Susan (Forbes) is coming increasingly under pressure, more so the deeper he gets into the case. DI Duncan Warren (Neil Dudgeon) has a gambling problem, at war with his ex-wife and fighting a losing battle to get quality time with his estranged son, and young pups D.S. Clifton (Draven) and D.S. Beauchamp (Frances Grey) have taken an inappropriate liking to each other. Into the mix is the gutter press and Art Malik's Boss Emerson is stomping around like a bear with a sore head.Messiah is not without faults, one of the decisions taken by the killer just beggars belief, while there is one leap of faith (hrr hrr hrr) required to buy into the meticulous aspect of said killer's ultimate goal. But this is great skin itching stuff, a prestigious production that shows the better side of the BBC as Grand Guignol and British drama fuse together handsomely. 9/10

It’s Fine arrived on time and with no problems

I purchased it, and have now had to buy the series 1 and 2 set as well just to get series 2.

Like another reviewer we bought this DVD without having seen it or knowing a great deal about it other than the reviews on Amazon. Yes, both 1 and 2 are very good although if you are unduly bothered by plot flaws there appear to be a fair few of them. I won't give the details as it is impossible without ruining it for those who have not seen it but if you think about the plot there are things that are quite unrealistic. Some of the twists have clearly been invented just for the sake of a twist and the overall logic of Messiah 2 is a bit strained to say the least. Otherwise I'd have given it 5 stars. My only real gripe is how does a story split into two episodes of just over an hour qualify as a series? All five Messiahs together, yes, that would qualify but just one? Why do we accept such obvious marketing propaganda? Messiah 1 isn't a series, it is a film adaptation of a good book that would run for about 2hrs 40 mins if it wasn't split into two episodes. Messiah 2 is the same.

I first watched messiah when it came out on the BBC a few years ago. I loved it and that is what compelled me to buy the dvds when they were released. Messiah 1 was on 1 dvd and messiah 2 was on another. I was disapointed however to find that Messiah was in 2 parts on the dvd like it was on telly. Half way through the programme the credits started to roll and a minute later the second half started. I couldn't see why the BBC would spend the money on releasing the dvd when they weren't even going to make it into a full length drama. That aside, the acting is fantastic, especially from Ken Stott who played Red Metcalfe. I finale is equally as wonderful. There are alot of big names in it but with rather small parts. Gillian Taylforth for example played Duncans ex wife and we proberly see her 4 times in all. The special effects were equally fantastic, very realistic and very gory! The first disc also contains the makeing of messiah with make very interesting viewing. The deleted scenes that you can watch are of very poor quality, similar quality to an old video. If you havn't watched it then it's definately a must.

I bought this DVD without having seen it or knowing a great deal about it other than the reviews I read on Amazon. It is simply another brilliant British crime/drama series and am again grateful that such intelligent product exists amongst such worldwide garbage that is screened these days. Ken Stott et al are totally believable in their roles and the decision to make his wife deaf gives the relationship he has professionally and personally much more scope and range. This is just a great, intelligent and very interesting series and I am very happy that I bought it. It has never screened here and I just hope it is made available for it to be so in the future. Hurry up with series 3&4 please as I need to see more of this series as the lack of integrity in alot of what is screened on tv these days is chokingly bad!!

I can remember seeing Messiah series 2 on the television when it first appeared and thinking what a fantastic piece of television drama it was and wondering why the hell I'd missed the first series and how I could somehow get to see it.When I saw Messiah series 1 and 2 on offer from Amazon, I snapped it up and couldn't wait to get it onto my DVD player. when it arrived I put it on and ended up watching "Messiah series 1" in one sitting and was blown away by it. It was everything I had expected and more. Its a prime example of what British television can be when it pulls the stops out. Ranks alongside "Tinker, Tailor..." and "The Edge of Darkness"As with all follow ups "Messiah series 2" had a hard act to follow and isn't quite as good but is still worth every penny of the price I paid and will remain on my shelves a long time after all my other DVDs have been taken away and car booted.

Brought for wife as a gift and we have both enjoyed it enormously.