Predikanten

Not a bad movie. I have not read any of Camilla Lackbergs books (I chose Johan Theorin when I had the choice good or bad), but was pleasantly surprised by how enjoyable this little flick was. They could have avoided to show (tell instead...) us a couple of brutal details, but the description of the scenic, beautiful little coastal town of Fjallbacka by Gothenburg is enjoyable, Hjulstrøm plays well as the main character police inspector Hedstrøm. Some of his colleagues are also well displayed, as with his pregnant girlfriend. However, I sincerely doubt that any policemen in the Western world are as incompetent as the commissioner and an older constable in the series - not only Predikanten, I sincerely do not hope so, and feel annoyed as some of the scenes with these two are experienced as unnecessary for the story itself. The plot is well thought out and depicted, although the incidental discovery at the end seemed awfully coincidental for the rest of the plot. But all in all, far better than feared, and is recommended for those that long for a nice, Scandinavian summer of 2011. That goes for Norwegians too.

I happened upon this movie at my local library, shelved in a section labeled "Nordic Noir." It was filmed in a foreign language with English subtitles, and was a bit of a strain to follow if you -- like me -- are an English-only speaker. In terms of story, plot, acting it was an okay movie. Basically, a murder mystery. Probably I would have given it 6 or 7 stars.

BUT HERE'S THE REASON I'M WRITING THIS REVIEW: This movie is about crimes of torture and murder of young women. Yes, there are lots of movies about murder. But this movie includes on-screen images of the trembling terror of the victims as the predator approaches them. It includes their screams as their bones are broken. It includes images of the victim's mangled skeletal remains.

I DO NOT RECOMMEND THIS MOVIE TO ANYONE.