There’s quite a lot left out of Netflix’s addictive thriller film Colors of Evil: Black, so here’s what’s missing from the real story it’s based on, the Czerń novel by crime writer Małgorzata Oliwia Sobczak. Julia is way more of a character in the novel via Netflix One of the key characters of Colors of Evil: Black, Julia has a complex history with the town she had to flee. It’s revealed in the film that she’s one of the many victims of child abuse, which is what pushed her to run away from the village and start a new life. But her traumatic experience brings her back, and she returns to write a book. Her tumultuous family relationship and her mental health issues are clear in the film, but in the novel we get to know way more about Julia. Instead of being a side character, we get to know Julia’s perspective and understand her motivation much better in the Polish-language novel. This has drawn some criticism online, as people say the movie Julia is only the tip of the iceberg of what her character truly faces. The corruption of the town is covered way more heavily Central to the mystery is Bilski discovering how deep the corruption in the town goes – from the systemic abuse within the church to the police cover-up that spans across generations. But in the book, the blow-up is explored even more deeply, and we learn about victims whose testimonies were ignored and silenced, and about people within the community who helped keep things quiet. Nicki’s tragic life is explored more in depth The complex villain lying in the shadows, in Colors of Evil: Black, we find out the kidnapper is actually Nicki, who had been through abuse and trauma his whole childhood. But in the book, the tragedies of Niki’s life are revealed much more slowly and with a more rewarding payoff than a 90-minute film can allow. His relationship with his father, who abandons him, his mum, who commits suicide and his mental decline are explored in much more detail. For all the latest film and TV updates and hot takes, like our Facebook page. Post navigation Next story
