In an isolated island country, with a low crime rate and small and at least distantly related population, it would be tricky and/or ridiculous to construct a crime story with lots of heavy criminals and weaponry involved. So you have to find some other points of references and develop them into a credible story - local practices, beliefs, landscape peculiarities...
All this is clearly visible in Hamarinn (The Cliff) where standard issue crime drama story lines and characters are intertwined with (super)natural phenomena and abilities, alas the latter are just depicted and, unlike the tragic event, would obtain no explanation or solution. True, the acting is good, beautifully harsh Icelandic nature visible, but there was still something that fell short for me, falling behind e.g. Ófærð and other films where Baltasar Kormákur is usually involved. Sometimes mysticism is not enough to make the series rounded - or provides unnecessary "simple solution" to worldly acts and thoughts.
