Swarm

Obsession…when coupled with the love of an artist, band or entertainer can bring you to a realm of craziness othat you never thought possible. Many of us who have loved or idolized artists in our youth have grown out of that phase. But what happens to those who don’t? And even more, when that obsession decides to manifest in a deadly way? Created by Donald Glover and Janine Nabers, “Swarm” is a testament to the darkness of obsession and how love for an artist can bring the deadliest consequences.  

For Dre (Dominique Fishback), musician Ni’Jah (Nirine S. Brown) is the end-all and be-all of her life. She eats, breathes and dreams of Ni’Jah (an artist that is reminiscent of Beyonce).  Dre is also devoted to being a part of Ni’Jah’s fan group called “The Swarm.” While those around Dre don’t necessarily understand her craze for the singer and even mock her for it, Dre’s steadfastness and decline over the love for Ni’Jah propels her on a crash-course into madness. And Dre, while awkward yet personable, is unafraid of embracing her violent tendencies and doing anything she can to be close to her idol….no matter the cost. 

Glover and Nabers bring obsession to a whole new level with “Swarm.” Through each episode Dre is dropped into new situations as she clamors for a chance to be closer to her idol. And Fishback’s portrayal of the titular character is frighteningly beautiful to watch. Dre waffles between trying to blend into a background to unleashing her rage on unsuspecting victims without breaking a sweat….Well, maybe a small non-murderous sweat by Episode 4. She kills and then dances around happily to Ni’Jah’s music while mopping up the bloody off a marble floor….satisfied to rid the world of another non-Ni’Jah fan. And for anyone that does not claim Ni’Jah as their favorite or tries to keep Dre from the end-goal of seeing her idol, their demise will be as brutal as humanly possible.  

One of my favorite parts is that the idea of Dre and her obsession is as real as it gets. With just about every person she encounters, she seeks to downplay anyone who is not as successful as Ni’Jah….she is not living in reality by any means. In the real world there are people who would go to the lengths that she does to be close to their idol. And even when they get close, the result can be a deadly one. Glover and Nabers take it to that depth of darkness and then some. That level of devotion is scary, yet very real….and Fishback is able to deliver on such a deep level as Dre takes yet another life of someone who stands in her way. She will not stop until she gets what she wants: to be with Ni’Jah. Whether she needs to lie, cheat, steal, and kill, the end-goal is all that Dre cares about.   

The devotion is real and Dre is the one to bring justice to those who don’t understand that level of loyalty. You better get on board with The Swarm or just like when you mess with the bees…you get stung. “Swarm” is streaming now on Prime Video.