The Absent One - Battuta di caccia

Straight off the bat, one of thing that I love about this film, is that it's as much of a stand alone movie as the sequel to The Keeper of Lost Causes / Mercy. The two films are connected but they're about two completely separate cases on which only the investigating team remains. It's kind of like what a TV-Show like Sherlock, for example, if Sherlock was a graphic dark thriller.

Much like the first one, Detective Mørck & Assad are the heart of the movie. It's an odd pairing but they're somehow captivating, they keep you focused in the movie despite the less than original plot on this one. You probably already figured out what it's all about by reading the premise but the story works and It has to do with the investigating team. You get attached to them - more so if you've seen the first film - and you want to see this case through.

The sequel to The Keeper of Lost Causes / Mercy is a good film, with a predictable story, but it's intriguing, attention-grabbing, and so uninhibited that this classical, run of the mill, thriller feels very fresh. @wornoutspines

Everything I said in my review of the first film in the series (Keeper of the Lost Causes) applies to this, the second installment. Gritty, dark and disturbing. It is textured and believable with an intense verisimilitude as to not only the environment and behavior of the police but throughout the social strata where the other characters dwell. And, as in the earlier film, this one is as commendable for the attention to fleshing out the damaged creatures committing unspeakable acts as it is to developing the mechanics of the plot, the social themes underlying the series, and the growth (or collapse) of the lead players. And I cannot sing the praises high enough for a thriller, so realistic, that a main character gets struck in the head with a pipe, and rather that soldiering on like a superhero he falls, and then later collapses with a concussion. This series is about human beings; the weak and the strong, the good and the bad, and such simplistic terms like Hero and Evil Villain are neither welcomed nor adhered to.

Police Detective Carl Mørck (Nikolaj Lie Kaas) stumbles upon an old man nearby the Police Department Building and he asks if Carl had checked the documentation he sent to him. Carl does not give much attention to the man and two hours later the man is found dead after committing suicide in his bathtub. Carl convinces his partner Assad Pilou (Fares Fares) to reopen an old case where the twins of the old man had been murdered and soon Carl and Assad are involved in a network of old crimes where the powerful executives and millionaires Ditlev Pram (Pilou Asbæk) and his friend Ulrik Dybbøl (David Dencik) seem to be responsible for. Now they are chasing Ditlev´s former girlfriend Kimmie (Danica Curcic), who might be the key witness of the cases. But the criminals are hunting her down.

"Fasandræberne", a.k.a. "Department Q: The Absent One". Is another great franchise with a new case of Police Detectives Carl Mørck and Assad Pilou. The structure of the bleak story is similar to the first film with the use of flashbacks. The performances are top-notch again and the screenplay does not use the clichés of a crime film. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): "Departamento Q: O Ausente" ("Department Q: The Absent One")

Note: On 17 July 2021, I saw this film again.

This is the second film installment that I am aware of in this detective drama, following on from "The Keeper of Lost Causes".

At first glance the translated title, "Killer of Pheasants", seems somewhat misleading. In fact, its well chosen. Pheasants demonstrate sexual dimorphism. That is the males are brightly coloured, whilst the females are plain. The wealthy male sexual predators at the heart of this tale, like male pheasants, appear to have everything. They lead bright, shining, seemingly flawless lives. By contrast, their female collaborator turned victim, suffers a bleak life of dispossession, but as we see she is, ultimately, a better human being.

Indeed, this story is, arguably, as much about dispossession, as it is a crime story. It speaks to the destructive power of inequality and how money not only does not remedy human flaws but can, in fact, amplify them.

Of course, its also a good crime thriller, with many subtle and often oblique, plot shifts. It takes time for all the intricate pieces of the crime puzzle to come together but when they do, its a very satisfying experience.

The acting is outstanding. Nikolaj Lie Kaas skillfully reprises his role as Carl Morck. A socially awkward, self destructive but nonetheless brilliant, driven detective. Fares Fares returns as his long suffering but understanding partner, Assad. The comfortable chemistry between these two lead actors makes this film easy viewing.

The other cast members, including the key villains of the piece, are well chosen and able actors who fit snugly into their respective roles.

For some people, possibly the only shortcoming, may be the sexual violence inherent in the film. If you are of a sensitive disposition you may want to give this film a pass. That said, if you are not perturbed by the violence or the subtitles, this film is a must see. Ten out of ten from me.

For a decade a so, the term "Scandinavian crime" has been a sign of quality in the film world, and I have tried to watch them as much as possible - luckily it is no Bollywood... The film in question is the second one in line (after Kvinden i buret) where the detective duet Carl Mørck and Assad have to solve a felony happening over 20 years back, enabling to take a glance at the world of "Danish rich and spoiled". The tension is nicely there (although somewhat less than in the first film), and, in addition to as-usual fine performances by Nikolaj Lie Kaas and Fares Fares as the leading characters, one can follow the talents of Pilou Asbæk and David Dencik who are also versatile character actors (plus Søren Pilmark in a small role).

So, unless you are fond of constant chases, explosions, shootings, etc., this film (with captious title) is a pleasant example of a crime thriller with mystery elements, where human attitudes and relations play the biggest part, and deducing is the main factor in solving crimes.