Pusher II

Just like Pusher, Pusher 2 presents you with a world of rain, seaweed and concrete. Mybe not even concrete but mere plain dirt.

Although not as strong as Pusher it still grabs you and keeps you in its arms through the entire journey of Tony's confusing and degrading life, right out of prison.

Fragile and non-existing relationships develop back and fourth and eventually it is obvious why the main character is where he is in life; near the bottom of a downslope. Violence and drugs mixed with maybe not so unexplainable relations hands you a bitter and sad father and son situation.

I have learned that people criticize PusherII for not having the same high pace as the first pusher movie did. It is important not to expect more of the same if you have chosen to watch pusherII. The first pusher movie concentrates on, and describes the drug dealer Frank. Pusher II, follows Franks former partner Tonny. He's the one being beaten by Frank with a baseball bat in pusher. Tonny and Frank are to very different personalities and the story being told in PII is very different from the story in the first Pusher so it is impossible to recreate the same pace and feeling. Luckily Nicholas Winding Refn is'nt trying to repeat history, he has made a whole new movie, which is entirely it's "own". PusherII is a fascinating and frightening story of Tonny the lowlife and his slow climb towards a meaningful life. PusherII equals the first Pusher.

Dedicated to Hubert Selby Jr., Pusher II moves in the familiar territory of the New York writer, night scenes populated by strippers, drug addicts and hopeless petty criminals. Unlike Last Stop Brooklyn, and the first movie in the trilogy, Pusher ends on a high, pun not intended, with a glimmer of hope to illuminate the Scandinavian night that most of this movie seems to embrace.

Eight years have gone by since Frank from Pusher broke Tonny's head with a baseball bat. Frank is now gone, and Tonny, the eternal screwup, seeks criminal success working for the big boss himself: his father. What he finds of course is deceit, empty violence, cocaine-fueled failures of all kinds.

Even when seeking redemption in a loveless world Nicolas Winding Refn's characters are still unable to talk except that with fists or knives, unable to act or to stop acting if not by chemically quelling one's fears. This movie is less violence, but perhaps even scarier than Pusher II. It is because of the absolute absence of human empathy or maybe just because is a little bit of Tonny in all of us.

'Pusher II (2004)' follows Mads Mikkelsen as Tonny, a side-character from Pusher '(1996)', as he once again exits prison and tries to earn his father's respect by stealing cars for his dodgy business. As he begins to adjust back to non-incarcerated life, he comes to discover that he himself may have a son. The film can be easily watched without having seen its predecessor, despite the fact that it features a couple of the same characters and makes one or two references to that prior title's plot. It's quite a bit different from that movie, too. It isn't an exercise in ratcheting tension and increasing desperation, rather it's a relatively introspective drama about fatherhood and, more specifically, the central character's relationship to it. He strives for a connection with his cold and uncaring dad, while struggling to reconcile his own responsibility to the child he may or may not have fathered. Ultimately, it's about breaking the cycle of apathy that has trapped the fairly unintelligent protagonist in a world of small-time crime, emotional (and physical) impotence and an absence of love. Of course, the flick still deals with bad men who do bad things (particularly to women) and get paid for it, but there's an aspect of tenderness - however subtle or, even, intangible it may be - that makes this story much more affecting than it otherwise would be. As such, it's an experience that will stay with you for longer than 'Pusher (1996)' and, for my money, that makes it better. The movie isn't always especially compelling, primarily because its pacing drags a little here and there, but it's always entertaining enough to keep you engaged. It's also varied in terms of tone, often going from dark comedy to poignant tragedy and back again, which keeps you on your toes and prevents any significant boredom. The picture feels cohesive overall, with a solid understanding of its themes and the patience required to really hammer home its emotional elements. Even though it may seem like a brash crime saga on the surface, it's actually a rather considered art film that sneakily delivers a surprisingly solid character study. Mads Mikkelsen is superb in the starring role, subtly portraying a litany of emotions often without even saying a word. Overall, this is a considered and affecting picture that makes you care about its protagonist despite his sometimes brutish nature.

Our protagonist, Tonny, is an ex-con and general screwup who just about everyone dislikes, for good reasons. His father, girlfriend, co-workers and most of his associates consider him to be the biggest goober head around, and from his actions you won't think they are far wrong.

There is a lot of drug use in the film, but not much dealing, so the title is a bit misleading. However, the movie is good because of the excellent acting and the general zaniness of the plot; you never know what kind of mistake Tonny is going to make next. What's sure is that he will make one, and probably in the next couple of minutes. He's the kind of guy you can like on the screen but would be horrified to find living next door.

Mads Mikkelsen as Tonny is awesome; he's about as far from the part of Le Chiffre in Casino Royale as a character could get. At first I had a hard time believing it was the same actor.

Watch this when you're in the mood for a Danish gangster film featuring some madcap fun and general foolishness.