Riders of Justice

After watching some mediocre movies lately Retfærdighedens Ryttere (or Riders of Justice for the English title) was exactly what I needed. Finally a movie that stands out from the rest. Majoritarily in Danish, which isn't a problem at all with subtitles, this movie starts intriguing to finish in total chaos. Good twists and turns keep the audience interested in the story. But not only the story was highly entertaining, also the acting from the entire cast was most enjoyable to follow. Mads Mikkelsen is the top name in this movie, and he always delivers so no surprise here. The funniest character to me was Emmenthaler played beautifully by Nicolas Bro. I can't think of anything bad to write about this movie. Definitely a movie I will watch again in the future, when I forgot everything about it, if that's even possible.

IMDB thought that if I like this movie I should watch Nobody. The suggestions algorithm needs some serious improvements. If US could produce a revenge movie that was even half of what Riders for Justice stands for then I wouldn't mind giving them another go but I seriously doubt they'll ever get to the same level ever with scandinavian cinema and storytelling. So anyone out there that is fed up by John Wick mania give this one a go.

I became very impressed with Anders Thomas Jensen's new installment to his bizarre and unique film universe!

The film delivers comedy in top class, and have some impeccable acting performances particularly from Mads Mikkelsen and Nikolaj Lie Kaas, but the rest of the cast (Nicolas Bro, Lars Brygmann, Roland Møller, Andrea Gadeberg etc.) also does a good job!

The script and the lines were really well done. How the characters interact and talk to each other felt very natural, and none of it seemed "staged", which shines through as ATJ is one of the most talented screenwriters we have in Denmark.

I found the film's unique plot and its special "idea" to be incredibly thrilling, and made the film have a lot of thoughtful elements, where the cinema-goer is actually challenged intellectually, which we rarely see in Danish films.

All in all a great danish film!

9/10.

A darkly funny & emotionally riveting slice of Danish delight that's brought to life with the right amount of care, compassion & subversiveness, Riders of Justice makes for an amusing, heartbreaking & thoroughly captivating comedy of errors that balances simple co-incidences with clever orchestrations and is greatly uplifted by its handful of quirky characters who are brilliantly rendered by its fabulous cast.

Written & directed by Anders Thomas Jensen, the premise setup is quick, character introductions are swift and while humour is detectable in the most unlikely of places, the emotional beats do brim with an honesty & depth that shines through. Jensen is sensible in handling the themes of loss, grief, neglect, abuse & sidelined morality in pursuit of vengeance, and has a clear grasp of his characters' inner turmoil.

The story comes packed with hilarious segments no doubt but where it warms the heart most is the way these idiosyncratic folks, all broken in their own ways, come together to help a grieving family bond & become whole again. Mads Mikkelsen is reliable as always but the supporting cast is right up there with him throughout the journey. Everyone chips in with deftly measured inputs & leaves behind nothing to complain about.

Overall, Riders of Justice is humorous, poignant & refreshing in the zaniest of ways and is an action-comedy of heartfelt warmth & surprising intimacy. The chemistry & interplay between the geeks & muscle allows for wholesome entertainment and the finale is cathartic in ways that just fits. To sum it up, this Danish revenge-thriller is a roller-coaster ride that promises plenty of fun, is sincere in its emotions, and has its heart at the right place.

This movie follows a group of both interesting and hilarious characters. We see them go through hell, in belief of what they are doing is for the greater good. And hilariously so. Definitely a 2020 must watch.