A bigger story than the plot teases

Admittedly, the official plot of Chokehold is about a couple leaving Istanbul and settling in the Aegean region in a small village. There, they’re hoping to start a new and peaceful life, but the people in the village are not ready to let that happen.

The real story is that the man in this couple has been accused of fraud. The kind that involves a lot of money that came from people investing their life savings. Also, they have moved from Istanbul to the village he grew up in. Basically, everyone knows him and many people there trusted him, so they invested in his business.

That very same business that is now accused of embezzling and leaving many “normal” people in crippling debt. So, yeah, they’re not exactly great fans of his. Not anymore! And most of them make damn sure he knows this.

Becoming a serial killer

An even better plot description for Chokehold could also be: A man goes from seeking peace to becoming a serial killer. Without ever trying to, which is quite a career path to embark on.

You see, Yalın (Kivanç Tatlitug) is the kind of person who has very little empathy – hence the whole fraud thing – and he never backs down. So, when people come at him and threaten either his life or comfort, he reacts swiftly.

The first time he kills someone is in self-defense. How he reacts afterward, is what sets him on a crazy path that escalates at a breathtaking pace. He really isn’t very likable and the more you know about him, the less there is to relate to. The guy might try to do right, but not if it’s too difficult.

Sure, I’m oversimplifying… but it’s also an accurate description.

As the absolute star of Chokehold, we see Kivanç Tatlitug as Yalın. You’ll probably recognize Kivanç Tatlitug from Into the Night and especially the Into the Night spin-off Yakamoz S-245. He was the star of that spin-off, so he can carry a movie or series quite well.