Rökkur

This is a great addition to the queer horror catalog, about a broken relationship that we see spark and grow again between Gunnar and Einar, with one of the most sad endings I've seen in a hot minute. Sprinkled with some supernatural creepiness that grow a sense of dread and saddness and you cant seem to understand where it comes from or why Gunnar is in the middle of this with Einar, each time a small clue revealed until the ending hit you hard.

This film just couldn't decide what it wanted to be. Was it a love story, a drama, a horror film or a slasher movie? Honestly, it was really stupid. Someone knocks on the door in the middle of the night. On the third time of knocking, Gunnar opens immediately and there's no one there. No one's running away, no one came to murder the lads.

Dire warnings abound. The neighbour warns of burglaries, the petrol station girl warns about hitch hikers, the neighbour again suddenly remembers to warn about an eccentric farmer. All through, Gunnar and Einar are working through their relationship breakdown and their memories, some painful. This might have been an interesting film if it had simply followed that path. For a start it would have been thirty minutes shorter once all the supernatural stuff was taken out.

I lost count of how many times the hoary old device was employed of having someone rush across the frame in front of the camera while the lead's back was turned and he was looking for the person. It didn't make me jump the first time and I was getting fed up on the sixth or seventh occasion. On other occasions it was worse. People being chased disappeared and then were seen fleetingly at the corner of a house, disappearing. So the chase began again, only to have another glimpse of the figure rushing round a corner or vanishing into a doorway.

Absurd coincidences abound, Gunnar finds Einar's phone in the middle of a lava field after he just happened to stop at that particular spot by the road.

There are occasions when people speak and are visible but aren't really there. It's utterly risible.

This could have been a good two-parter exploring sexuality and break ups. To pace it a bit, a few of the village inhabitants could have been introduced during the narrative. Instead, we got a mishmash of nonsense and genres that was half an hour too long.

Not recommended.

Ambiguous, hunting, unsettling, painfully sad and tormenting at times, this movie is psychologically true in terms of capturing the inner world of characters lost in past trauma and broken love, all contained in the space of shivering beautiful icelandic landscape.

"Two men's broken relationship is tested as they are haunted by a supernatural entity awakened by their grief."

That's what it was about?!

I can sheepishly and honestly say that I didn't understand what was going on from beginning to end. That's a light exaggeration as I did understand some of the relationship between the two ex-boyfriends, but I was lost as to what the hell was happening around them. The odd thing is that is what kept me watching it, ultimately proving to be a futile exercise. The countryside is beautiful in this bizarre film from Iceland. The acting wasn't bad and there are ominous moments in this very slow moving film, but they don't make any sense and it seems to me that is on purpose. Obscurity seems to be the goal here.

This is a superb thriller for those like me who enjoy brainteasers. I'll have to watch the story again to try to decipher some clues (mysterious red car, Einar's red coat, the little lad's red shirt)--these bright colours.contrasting with the greys of the often sombre, chilly landscape. The moods were intense, and something eerie was happening yet I couldn't grasp fully what is was. Is Gunnar sometimes dreaming? This kept my interest during the slow parts as I studied the meaning and nuances of the characters' broken relationship. So yes, the film is cerebral and forces the watcher to think. Thank goodness it wasn't another movie about gay men struggling with their sexuality. Nor was it chatty and noisy with banal dialogue that tells rather than SHOWS what the characters are feeling--and thankfully there are no "divas" or other such cliche stereotypes, And the cinematography is splendid. Yes, I highly recommend "Rift to film lovers who like to be.mentally challenged whilst also being entertained. Well done.