Created by Donald Glover and Janine Nabers, this psychological thriller draws on Beyoncé’s fans to discuss obsessions and perverse loyalties.
An obsessive fan becomes a serial killer in ‘Swarm’, the new Amazon Prime Video series that we already count among the most dazzling and violent of the year. It shouldn’t surprise us knowing that its creators are Donald Glover (responsible for the excellent ‘Atlanta’ and multifaceted artist between music and Hollywood) and Janine Nabers, in addition to the collaboration in the script of the daughter of Barack and Michelle Obama, Malia Obama, and the leading role of rising star Dominique Fishback. What could go wrong? We already anticipate it: nothing.
Premiered on March 17, ‘Swarm’ is a witty and violent psychological thriller that isn’t afraid of getting blood on its hands, both literally and metaphorically.. It tells the story of a young woman named Andrea “Dre” Greene (Fishback), who is obsessed, like so many others, with the music superstar Ni’Jah (Nirine S. Brown), an artist who has managed to create around her. a cult for which millions of fans all over the world love. For Dre, this love for the singer is inextricably linked to her relationship with her best friend Marissa (Chloe Bailey). For them, Ni’Jah was an escape route and a role model that shaped her vision of a world of hers, but her obsession (demonstrated by a Twitter profile dedicated to her) has reached insane levels.
When they are forced to separate, Dre will enter a spiral of violence in which he tries to prove his loyalty to the artist, either by taking out a mortgage to buy some concert tickets or slitting the throat of an internet troll who had messed with her. With Billie Eilish in the cast, ‘Swarm’ is a reflection on the obsession of fandomsparasocial relationships and the dangers of basing your entire personality on someone you don’t know.
‘Swarm’ is not a true story, but it is inspired by Beyoncé and her fans
“This is not a work of fiction. Any similarity with real people, living or dead, or real events, is intentional”, reads at the beginning of each episode of ‘Swarm’, a whole declaration of intent about its connections with reality . And it is that, from the first episode, it shows obvious references to Beyoncé and her fan community, known as ‘BeyHive’ (a play on the word ‘beehive’ or ‘hive’ and ‘Beyoncé’). Perhaps this way we better understand the name of the series and that sound of buzzing bees that is heard every time Dre commits an act of violence, and of course the many similarities between Ni’Jah and the singer of ‘Lemonade’ are not lost on us. .
Despite these veiled references, ‘Swarm’ isn’t exactly based on a true story, although it does echo some true events. Speaking to shondaland, co-creator Janine Nabers said: “The pilot episode is based on a real event that existed on the internet. In April 2016, ‘Lemonade’ was released. On the same night, there was a rumor about a woman named Marissa Jackson who committed suicide. after seeing this visual album because it basically confirmed that a very powerful man had cheated on one of the most incredibly beautiful and successful pop stars of our time.” Nabers went on to explain: “That’s when I started researching all the crazy stories we’ve heard online or in the real world that revolve around this particular artist and how we could bring those issues to life and make them our own.”.
‘Swarm’ and the danger of parasocial relationships
We can read ‘Swarm’ as an exaggeration about what would happen if the fans took their obsessions to the ultimate consequences. However, under the surface, it is much more: It is a story about loss and despair, the story of a woman who has lost an important person in her life and has been replaced by a chimera.. In the world of the internet and social media, as other films like ‘Ingrid Goes West’ have explored, parasocial relationships are as common as they are dangerous if taken to the extreme.
In the Prime Video series, Dre dreams of connecting with someone, of being heard, of being a part of something with someone special, and of being more than just any bee in the swarm. Violence is only the means; the perversion of loyalty is what it hides and the search for love is the end.
Source: Fotogramas
Rose James is a Gossipify movie and series reviewer known for her in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the latest releases. With a background in film studies, she provides engaging and informative reviews, and keeps readers up to date with industry trends and emerging talents.
