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Managing editor & film and television critic with a Bachelor's of Arts in English Literature with a Writing Minor from the University of Guam. Currently in graduate school completing a Master's in English Literature.
Don’t expect much other than Utah Police Detective Jeb Pyre (Andrew Garfield) rounding up more members of the Lafferty family in this week’s episode of Under the Banner of Heaven. The third episode of Dustin Lance Black’s limited series is titled, “Surrender”. Its teleplay is written by Black, while the story is written by Emer Gillespie and Black. The episode is directed by Courtney Hunt.
In this review, I will be discussing Under the Banner of Heaven Episode 3. There will be no spoilers here, as the title of this article suggests. Nonetheless, please read ahead at your own discretion to avoid any possible revelations.
Plot Synopsis
According to FX Networks’ press room, here is the plot synopsis for Under the Banner of Heaven Episode 3 — “Surrender”.
The ongoing investigation leads Pyre (Andrew Garfield) and Taba (Gil Birmingham) into untrod woods where they unearth information that challenges Pyre’s own faith, and draw more Laffertys into suspicion and custody.
FX Networks Pressroom
Discussion
Following last week’s two-part premiere, Under the Banner of Heaven continues to exhibit itself as brutal. From the discovery of a cabin filled with Lafferty family members to more narratives about Joseph Smith and the origin of Mormonism, nothing that we see here is looking any pretty. Robitaille’s cinematography is neat work, while Kennedy and Thomson’s work in the appearance of the characters proves absolutely horrific.
At one hour and three minutes, the pacing feels slower than in the previous two episodes. “Surrender” takes its time telling the story about different types of surrender, including that which involves the Lafferty family. We have the women including Brenda (Daisy Edgar-Jones) discussing giving themselves to the men, that is, the figures who hold control as the patriarchs. Pyre continues to question his religion and asks a figure in his Mormon community about blood atonement and whether the recent crimes that have been committed are a part of the Mormon past. Even just as big a surrender in this episode involves starting and creating a large family.
One character suggests that disobeying men could be a form of fornication, but how much of that is really true? Another character says that God has power over all, including those he can separate from others.
The Crew of Under the Banner of Heaven
Under the Banner of Heaven is created by Dustin Lance Black. The limited series is based on the true-crime book of the same name by Jon Krakauer.
Black, Ron Howard, Brian Grazer, Anna Culp, Jason Bateman, Michael Costigan, and David Mackenzie serve as the executive producers. Gina Welch serves as the co-executive producer. Leslie Cowan and Brian Dennis serve as the producers. Brandon Boyce, Emer Gillespie, and Michael Weiss serve as the co-producers.
Jeff Ament scores the music with Josh Klinghoffer and John Wicks, while Gabe Hilfer serves as the music supervisor. Josh Evans is the music editor.
Avy Kaufman serves as the casting director. Rhonda Fisekci and Lisa Parasyn serve as the Canadian casting directors. Sera Fisecki and Emily Johnston serve as the casting associates of Canada, while Scotty Anderson is the casting associate of the US.
Tobie Robitaille serves as the director of photography. Renée Read is the production designer, while Beatrice Sišul serves as the editor. Jonathan Joshua Johnson, Sally O’Brien, and Nick Lane serve as the assistant editors.
Joseph Lacorte serves as the costume designer. Gail Kennedy serves as the head of the make-up department. Jo-Dee Thomson is the head of the hair department,
Justin Ludwig serves as the supervising art director; Ainsley Barteluk and Lindsay Ledohowski serve as the art directors. Hailey Darling serves as the set designer, while Sarah Monteith and Trevor Johnston serve as the set decorators.
The Cast of Under the Banner of Heaven
Andrew Garfield stars as Jeb Pyre. Daisy Edgar-Jones portrays Brenda Lafferty.
Billy Howle plays Allen Lafferty, while Gil Birmingham plays Bill Taba. The Lafferty brothers include Sam Worthington as Ron, Wyatt Russell as Dan, Seth Numrich as Robin, and Rory Culkin as Samuel.
Denise Gough and Chloe Pirrie portray Dianna Lafferty and Matilda Lafferty, Ron’s and Dan’s wives, respectively. Adelaide Clemens and Sandra Seacat appear as Rebecca Pyre and Josie Pyre, Jeb’s respective wife and mother.
Christopher Heyerdahl guest stars as Ammon Lafferty. Darren Goldstein, Andrew Burnap, Scott Michael Campbell, Tyner Rushing, and Zachary Sherman also star.
The show also co-stars Doreen Lafferty (Megan Leitch), Lynn Lafferty (Michele Wienecke), Morris (Rohan Mead), Jacob Lafferty (Taylor St. Pierre), Larae Wright (Vanessa Holmes), Sister Dorren (Gillian Barber), Sarah Lafferty (Britt Irvin), Annie Pyre (Sienna King), Caroline Pyre (Alba Evora Weller), Brenda’s sisters (Olivia Collier, Madeleine Murphy-Northcott, Sophia Fabris) and brother (Samuel Skye Kinaschuk Zeffer), Sam’s Jenny Lafferty (Carina London Battrick), Sam’s second girl (Alayna Edwards), Ron’s second boy (Beau Mchattie) and first girl (Emily James), and Matilda’s Cora (Ariane Thomson) and Eilidh (Abelynne Langille).
Also starring are Blake Stadel as a Utah County Sheriff, Jerry Callaghan as a male temple worker, Holly Turner as a female temple worker, Rob Hay as a bus driver, Valerie Planche as a social worker, Graham Abbey as Bishop Young, Neil Minor as a lab tech, Micah Steinke as a second desk cop, Brett Davidson as a first highway patrol, Robert Beddow as a temple performer (Adam), Donna Neumann as another temple performer, Anne Mulders as a woman in a masonic dress, Larry Macdonald as Haun’s militia leader, Aias Dalman and Kingston Kelly as two of Haun’s mill boys, Kalem Vaughan as Haun’s third boy, Conner Christmas as Haun’s militiaman, Lori Bachynski as Brenda’s neighbor, Richard Koy as Major Carlton, and Declan O’Reilly as an Ohio town official.
Performances
We do not get a lot of Ron Lafferty (Sam Worthington) in this episode of Under the Banner of Heaven, but in the one episode that he appears, he performs just alright. Instead, “Surrender” focuses on Samuel (Rory Culkin) and Dan (Wyatt Russell) Lafferty followed by their brothers, Robin (Seth Numrich) and Allen (Billy Howle).
Ammon Lafferty (Christopher Heyerdahl) proves just how harsh of a father he can be, teaching the family that no wrong actions are to go without punishment. This is where Ron comes in and tries to be the better, and I admire that about this character.
Dan has a moment in one scene where he pleads to God for power and proper leadership. I found this a rather concerning thing to see, but Russell does so well here. Dan clearly does not like Brenda getting in the way of family matters, and it is obvious that Samuel and Robin do not, either.
We finally get to see Culkin’s Samuel get more screentime in the series, and I found him to be a rather intimidating individual. It could very much be that his own religious beliefs have gotten to his head. From what I have seen with Culkin’s past performances, I felt convinced that he has what it takes to portray a lunatic. In this episode, he pulls it off so well, especially in the closing scene.
Final Thoughts on This Week’s Under the Banner of Heaven
“Surrender” is an interesting episode of Under the Banner of Heaven. It shows that Pyre has a lot going on his plate with the double homicide investigation, his family, and how those two worlds tie back to his Mormonism. It is evident that he himself is struggling to surrender to disobedience much in the same way that Brenda had, but he is trying to keep his head up and persevere no matter what happens. Overall, this week’s episode does have its moments but it felt like a slow burn. Hopefully, things pick up soon, although I like where it’s headed!
Under the Banner of Heaven is now streaming via FX on Hulu!
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Interested in reading more about Under the Banner of Heaven to get a wider scope of the story and form your own opinion? You can purchase Jon Krakauer’s novel on Amazon by clicking on our link here.
Managing editor & film and television critic with a Bachelor's of Arts in English Literature with a Writing Minor from the University of Guam. Currently in graduate school completing a Master's in English Literature.
This article was edited by John Tangalin.