Lockerbie: A Search for Truth Review: A Complex Tragedy and Unfinished Quest for Justice

Lockerbie: A Search for Truth centers on one man’s fight for justice in the wake of the terrorist attack that killed hundreds including his daughter Flora. It expands into the tense decades of aftermath in the legal system.

The five-part miniseries opens on the devastating plane crash caused by a bomb on Pan Am Flight 103, killing all on board and eleven on the ground in the town of Lockerbie. It takes hours for Jim, his wife, and other children to learn of Flora’s death.

The remainder of the series covers years of finger-pointing between nations and political figures, the arrest and trial of two men from Libya, the release of one and conviction of another, and Swire’s eventual belief that the second man, Abdelbaset al-Megrahi, has been framed.

There is of course plenty of emotional impact. Firth is expectedly adept at portraying both the agony of a parent losing their child and the desperation of someone who sees politics override justice at the expense of so many.

The other actors shine as well. In a chilling early scene, Jim’s wife Jane (Catherine McCormack) confronts passive investigators and quietly counts out the fifteen seconds Flora may have spent conscious while plunging to her death.

After the initial shockwaves of grief, most of the series focuses on the political and legal aspects of the events over the emotional ones. The scenes that unfold are tense and often uncomfortable to watch—for good reason.

As all episodes are portrayed from Swire’s perspective, his conviction of al-Megrahi’s innocence becomes the lens by which the actions of the national representatives involved can be judged. There is plenty to be rightfully critically of.

Nobody’s image emerges from the tragedy unscathed, including Jim, who raises the ire of several governments and many family members who simply want someone held accountable for such extreme levels of devastation.

The most lasting takeaway, both in real life and within the plotline, is that the facts have been often intentionally withheld by enough parties on all sides that we’ll likely never know the full truth about what happened and who was most responsible.

Even though decades of history are covered, several critics have commented that the five episodes feel longer than necessary. It does seem to drag at points. Most of the events could be covered with equal weight in fewer episodes or even a streaming movie.

Still, between strong writing and performances, as well as the ability to challenge the most common narratives, Lockerbie: A Search for Truth is worth watching. It’s a sobering and often angering experience.

 Though it’s a scripted series with a clear perspective, it also gives precedence to detail  and accuracy wherever possible. It is a literal search for truth, paired with the frustration that it’s one that may never truly be realized.

 

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All episodes of Lockerbie: A Search for Truth are now streaming on Peacock.

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