Solstorm

Leif Lindbolm's film is a chilly Nordic thriller, filmed (with striking cinematography) in the far north of Sweden. A religious cult has taken hold of an insular town near the Arctic Circle; a former member, now a successful lawyer, returns home after the death of a priest, initially to help her sister, but she increasingly finds herself involved in the investigation. The atmosphere is tense and claustrophobic, and although (as with most thrillers) the plot is slightly contrived, a tone of realism pervades throughout. Having just seen the Swedish television adaptation of the 'Wallander' novels, I noticed its star, Krister Hendriksson, in a small role here - but whereas those stories are set in a very normal town in southern Sweden, the isolated nature of life in the far north gives 'Solstorm' a very distinctive feeling. Ultimately, it's hard to care too much about the natives, however, who keep their emotions very much to themselves (although the dead man was an interesting exception). But it's still a superior and haunting tale.

Engaging thriller that follows a strict path. Like so many thrillers, this film has a lot to sort out. There are relationships to develop, a character to move from point A to point B, and twists and turns. Scorupco returns to her home town after an old flame is found murdered and her best friend is the prime suspect. The film takes on religion as its main adversary. The victim was a preacher that made millions for the church. We see a close-knit community wanting to keep things simple. No one's to be trusted. The films succeeds in offering a finale that causes you to question the final actions of individual characters. The film has some gorgeous landscapes that it explores. The ice, the snow, the northern lights. All this is captured and creates a cold, isolated, but hypnotic atmosphere. It's a wonderful ending, but the journey there was so generic, it's impossible to rate it any higher.

Although I'm not a religious person myself I was very touched by his film. Yes, I am a stranger to the church and Jesus but I really think that the story proves what can happen when you join any kind of sect or closed community. There is both love and hate, weak minds and strong minds, leaders and followers. Very thought-provoking film this one. Especially the way it dealt with delicate matters like for example the way parents deal with their children and how loyalties between friends can get corrupted over time.

And the film music, not to mentions the hymns altogether add an extra dimension to the tight and sweaty drama that is actually taking place in the most northern part of Sweden. A really beautiful and cold place to be. I think the footage really capture this vast and beautiful landscape.

Amen!

Great sceneries and great acting from many well-known actors could not save this film from a horrible plot flow that failed to connect well with each other.

The movie instead was successful at leaving many questions unanswered. And all the plot holes consequently turn the whole thing entirely 180 degrees back into 'nothing makes any sense at all' material. What more needed to say? This is probably the worst that can happen of a horror/dark noir/ crime thriller - based film. Whoever the director is should restudy on making a convincing movie, because the subject matter it is based on is a unique thing but the potential was not developed properly.

Please do the world justice by destroying this movie in a storm!

While in a party promoted by her chief and friend Måns Wenngren (Jakob Eklund), the fiscal attorney Rebecka Martinsson (Izabella Scorupco) receives a call from her former sister-in-law Sanna Strandgård (Maria Sundbom) telling that her brother and preacher Viktor (André Sjöberg) was murdered, stabbed and with severed hands, and she would be arrested. Rebecka heads to her hometown Kiruna and defends Sanna, but the evidences found by the police in her house prove her guilty and she is arrested. While investigating the crime, Rebecka is haunted by her past and faces the bigoted and fanatic religious dwellers that worship the local church, and is more convinced of the innocence of Sanna.

"Solstorm" is a weird, but good thriller with great performances, highlighting the gorgeous Izabella Scorupco, and awesome locations and cinematography in Kiruna (Northern Sami: Giron), the northernmost city in Sweden, situated in Lappland province, that makes the viewer feel cold, no matter where he is. The non-linear screenplay is a little confused but never uses clichés; is very tense and uncomfortable and has an unexpected plot point in the end. My vote is six.

Title (Brazil): Not Available