Agent Hamilton - Im Interesse der Nation

Very nice movie from Sweden. I had a quick look at the critics written before this one and must say: Sweden was not famous for Action Movies but this will change if they shoot more like Hamilton. Very nice Cinematography and good casting. I don't see the point in complaining about the plot, the plot is similar to a James Bond or Bourne Story and it works just fine for me. And it did also work for the Swedish audience with about 360'000 admissions two weeks after its opening in Sweden. Looks like they have just waited for this one. If I got it right, then this is the first film out in the trilogy based on the novels by Jan Guillou. So there is a lot to look forward for me. I like it a lot to see when more Swedish productions are aiming at an international audience. We have had this with the Millennium trilogy as well.

This is the latest installment in the Hamilton franchise, the first feature film was made in 1989 (Täcknamn Coq Rouge)at that time Stellan Skarsgård played Hamilton. Over the years there have been many TV/film productions about Hamilton made specifically for a Swedish audience.

For people who are not familiar with the Hamilton series/franchise, its basically the Swedish equivalent to James Bond or Jason Bourne. Hamilton is a secret agent with a license to kill, has been trained by the US Navy Seals and undergone training at the Swedish special forces.

This film series is based on a popular book series written by left wing radical author/journalist Jan Guillou and therefore offers a more leftist, liberal point view in the world of espionage.

Hamilton - I nationens intresse (2012)is based on one of the novels that was written during the cold war and some storyline details, people, etc have been changed in order to update the material.

The story is pretty simple, Hamilton goes undercover with a group of Russian weapons smuggler who are stealing Swedish made rockets. But the smugglers gets attacked by a unknown group of heavily armed soldiers.

Hamilton suspects they might have connection to a Private military contractor, based in the USA. He starts to investigate, but quickly ends in trouble...

As I mentioned earlier there have been many adaptations of the books, mainly made for Swedish TV. The technical quality have been poor, or downright crappy. This film however has a very impressive, high, production value, direction and some nice action sequences, rarely seen in Swedish film.

Director Kathrine Windfeld seems to be very inspired by the films of Paul Greengrass, especially his work on the Bourne franchise.

Hamilton in this film is more darker, complex character, then I've ever seen him before. Mikael Persbrandt brings a lot of personality and depth, which is pretty impressive because the books portray him as an cartoon figure, superhero who has no flaws.

Here he is more human, flawed, brooding and is haunted by his job, the decisions he has to make. And how can he continue having this job and live a normal life? Its nice update by Kathrine Windfeld and screenwriter Stefan Thunberg.

Casting overall is pretty good but contains some surprises.

Seba Mubarak as Mouna Al Fathar, a PLO intelligence officer, friend and colleague to Hamilton is well casted. But the problem is that Mouna was more independent, in the books, and here almost does nothing other looking beautiful next to Hamilton.

It isn't Seba Mubarak fault, mainly a script flaw, and a waste of a talented actress who has nothing do. But I was surprised that they didn't cast some Swedish actors with middleastern background, like Nina Zanjani, Nour El-Refai etc.

Lennart Hjulström as Hamiltons closest boss and father figure is excellent and does his job perfect. And he comes close to the original in the books.

Jason Flemyng as Rob Hart is good but I felt that this should been played by an American actor, someone like Michael Madsen, Michael Biehn etc. Rob Hart is one of the bad guys and Flemyng seems to have had a lot of fun with the character.

The biggest problem with this film is the script, it touches on some very interesting subjects like Swedish weapons export, corruption among Swedish politicians, private military contractors, but unfortunately Stefan Thunberg doesn't manage to fit the pieces together.

Too bad, because recently a new discussion has blossomed in Sweden over sales of weapons to Saudi arabia. Also and ongoing discussion about certain politicians and their connections to an oil company called Lundin Oil.

One of the largest stock holders is Swedish minister for Foreign Affairs Carl Bildt. When two Swedish journalists wanted to investigate Lundin oils affairs in Sudan, they were arrested. Bildt has so far done nothing to release them.

All the above mentioned is touched upon but never developed throughout the film.

So a very flawed film experience but with higher production values then usual. So future viewers who expect this film to be better then Green Zone (2010), Shooter (2007) might be disappointed.

But it is worth a rental, mainly because of Persbrandts approach to Hamilton.

The efficient Swedish agent Carl Hamilton (Mikael Persbrandt) is working undercover in a Russian Mafia that deal two hundred Swedish weapons to Afeghanistan terrorists. Out of the blue, they are attacked by American mercenaries that kill all the dealers and buyers of weapons, but Hamilton escapes. Soon he learns that the mercenaries have the Swedish Martin Lagerbäck (Gustaf Hammarsten) in their base and Hamilton goes to the spot to retrieve him. He also learns that the American Benjamin Lee (Ray Fearon) is prisoner of the group and he rescues him. He discovers that Lee knows that the American mercenaries led by Rob Hart (Jason Flemyng) are forging attacks to leaders to blame terrorists groups and the next target will evolve the Swedish Prime Minister. He teams up with his partner Mouna Al Fathar (Saba Mubarak) to stop Hart and hos crew. Will they succeed?

"Hamilton: I nationens intresse" is a great Swedish action movie with a complex and well built plot. The subplot with Dr. Maria Solska, performed by Fanny Risberg, is forgettable and does not adda nything to the storyline. But the storyline is excellent and the film is worthwhile watching. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "Agente H - Conspiração Terrorista" (Agent H - Terrorist Conspiration")

I saw this movie in the cinema yesterday , good movies should always bee seen in the cinema.

It was good action from beginning to the end and the movie had an interesting story.

It's a movie that makes you think , what if it's true ?

weapon industry wants to sell weapons and politicians and corporate leaders play dirty

My impression from old Swedish thrillers are old men talking to much and trying to look important , Hamilton is a big step up to real action in class with Sylvester Stallone , Bruce Willis and many more

Mikael Persbrandt delivers and so also all the other good actors.

I look forward to the next Hamilton movie , good work

In my personal opinion this movie is a much more realistic version of any "American style" "secret agent" movie. It has action, never gets boring, it has fights and explosions. What differs the main character most from let's say a "transporter", is that the movie is not giving him one of the usual stereotypes of "bad stories from the past". In fact the movie does start with quite a shocking moment, something one rarely seen in other action movies, and later on in the movie there is actually a moment of thought in terms of "even agents are under law". So if you once in a while get bored by transporter 3 and would like to see an unknown but credible face on screen, I think you will like this movie.