Jordskott

Just when you thought Nordic Noir had peaked along comes Jordskott - very dark and very much of its location and the Swedes do it best! Anyone who is vaguely familiar with folk tales (from pretty much anywhere in the world) will appreciate the brooding threat, the universal fears that permeate the early episodes. But this is no outlandish 'TrollHunter', this is a full blown 'who dun it' with the supra / supernatural an integral part. Having watched the first half of the first series, for me, it plays as a cross between The Killing, Fargo and Twin Peak (series 1 obviously). I don't like particularly enjoy 'supernatural' films and I don't have any belief in spiritual worlds but I appreciate the folk lore created by of cultures to explain their natural world. And, this is where Jordskott fits.The production slowly seduces the unbeliever into a realm where you not only accept the conceits you end an episode wanting more. Level headed I may be but Jordskott has made me think twice about my impending visit to the Swedish interior. This is very much box set binge materials but I must control the urge to splurge. Watch - believe - enjoy.

I was very pleasantly surprised when I watched this. I was expecting a Swedish crime drama like The Killing, but got so much more. This is a type of science fiction and I love science fiction. In some ways it resembles Pan's Labyrinth (from Spain I think), and if you love Earth Spirit Mythology then this show will please you. It has plenty of characters up to no good, for noble or selfish reasons, is full of surprises that eventually make sense and, though not big on special effects, what is needed is done well. There are tense moments and a beautiful tension throughout that keep the viewer interested. The story is sufficiently plausible to keep this work at an A-plus rather than a B-movie standard. The photography and place is very beautiful and creates atmosphere. This is a work that has done a lot with very little. Other reviewers have called this clever and they are very correct. The acting is easily good enough for mono speakers like me to forget the subtitles. I loved it.

This is a pretty good series. The first 5 episodes were great - I was quite hooked and binge- watched them. Interesting characters, beautiful dark scenery fantastically shot, nice editing, good acting and a wonderfully mysterious suspenseful atmosphere. I have watched foreign shows for a while now and subtitles never bother me unless they are really bad - in this case they were spot on and flowed well with the visuals so I was unaware I was reading them.

Unfortunately something went wrong later in the show. I can't really say what it was, too many stupid decisions by the lead female (who is supposed to be a top negotiator/cop but acts like a complete idiot), the "villain" was so obviously off their rocker it beggars belief that no-one noticed, the behaviour of the board of the corporation was unrealistic & there were just a few too many plot holes etc starting to appear. It didn't stop me wanting to find out what happened/happens and sticking with the series but it did lessen my enjoyment to an extent. One scene that stands out as not credible involved someone signing away rights to something - you'll know it when you see it and quite frankly it made no sense. There were so many other options - especially in context of the person's supposed expertise & career... anyway. Frustrations & nitpicking aside I recommend this series to anyone who likes atmospheric suspenseful mysteries that involves folklore & mythical creatures not just real life evil doers.

As for the review slamming it for being "nothing but environmentalist propaganda" - I predicted some lame reviewer would trot that out just because it does, in fact, deal with issues about the environment. But you know what, movies and TV shows have - since they first began - proudly dealt with issues that effect people at the time. The environment is a pressing issue for our world today so I see no reason for anyone to dismiss art of any kind just because it brings that issue into it's purview. The fact that the reviewer bases their entire opinion of the series on their objection to it's environmental focus, tells me a lot about the reviewer and very little about the series. I imagine that's why nobody has said their review was helpful. The series incorporates a message about environmental issues, yes that's true. But it also incorporates issues around disability, autism, the parent/child relationship/bond, mental health care, youth issues & so on..... it's got many layers and is telling an adult fairy tale to get across a variety of thoughts , concepts & ideas. That is part of what makes it so interesting.

It seems like most "professional" reviewers are trying to hype Jordskott as being the next Bron, particularly in Swedish newspapers. I started watching it with a very positive mindset with these opinions in mind. However I don't feel that the quality of the plot even comes close to it. Jordskott feels like a thinly veiled environmental propaganda piece about the dangers of corporate greed and the exploitation of natural resources. This would be fine if the writers had bothered to create a more immersive experience. There are too many loose threads that are never resolved, and on the contrary from Bron where you're kept guessing and wondering where the story will take you next the reveals of this story are mediocre and illogical. The police aren't clever, their reactions as events unfold aren't credible, the protagonist takes way longer than the audience to understand what's happening and the corporate greed angle is crude and illogical for anyone with even a tangential understanding of how a company works and how people think. It attempts to be a modern take on Äppelkriget without the humour. I'll watch it to the end to see how they manage to tie everything together as I've already reached episode 8, but I don't feel particularly optimistic. Such a wasted opportunity to do something really cool with the deep, mysterious forests of Sweden.

I gotta say this little Swedish gem worked for me on so many levels. The acting was really good as well as the directing. The show had a really cool creepy vibe to it (especially on season 1) that really built on top of the uniquely intriguing plot. The mystery surrounding the town and its inhabitants is expertly delivered throughout the first season. The twists and reveals blew my mind, there's no way you can get 3 episodes in and give up. This show makes true blood and Grim look like garbage. Jordskott's modern take on fairy tales is like nothing I've ever seen... It's dark and mysterious and I was as hooked on this show as some of the characters in jordskott are on their black sludge they drink to survive.