Departamento Q: Em Busca de Vingança

I had no clue that 'Journal 64' (or 'The Purity of Vengeance') was part of a series of films known as 'Department Q', before looking it up on IMDB (and that was after watching the movie). Well, even if it wasn't, the screenplay has added enough layers to its lead characters to make it a totally engaging fare. Assad, one of the cops in Dept. Q, is set to move to another division and his partners Carl and Rose are finding it hard to come to terms with his departure. The uncovering of a few mummified bodies behind the false wall of an apartment in Copenhagen brings an exciting case on the desk of Dept. Q once again.

On the side, in 1961, we are introduced to Nete (and how she ends up on The Girls' Home in Sprogø for 'the morally defective'), her roomie Rita, the fascist doctor Curt and his unsympathetic assistant Gitte Charles. The film provides a fair bit of an insight into the grim realities of what went down in that island facility, and it's definitely not for the faint-hearted. Does the past have a connection with the goings-on of the present? Watch the film to find out!

Adapted from the novel by Jussi Adler-Olsen, the screenplay packs enough thrills and punches to keep the viewer on their toes for the most part. A conspiracy is unraveled slowly; we realize the subplots aren't mere subplots. Every character shown on screen has at least one or more relevant scenes. That clearly indicates the screenplay's strength. With a cast that's already popular among Danish viewers, director Christoffer Boe had his job cut out to an extent. He has retained some of the gruesome details of Sprogø to reinstate how big of a terror-show it once used to be.

Incorporating elements from a past era into a film can sometimes come across as too dramatic and struggling to convey the right notion. Director Boe doesn't have any of it. The daunting flashback sequences at the facility are as thrilling as the duo (and their female colleague) trying to crack their case several years later. The crafting is excellent, the thrills very carefully placed. The plot, however, gets predictable beyond a point. The supposed twist in the tale isn't exactly what one would term 'remarkable', but in a thriller universe, I believe it fits.

The climax is a bit of a stretch too, with the extended scenes catering more to fans of the franchise than to the plot. If that doesn't bother you, you have a really good thriller in your hands. The camaraderie between the leads is also one of the reasons this film works so well. It has well-rounded protagonists (one of them fundamentally flawed, and for the right cinematic reasons!), above-par performances, detailed plotting, and just the right amount of thrills and action set-pieces that can make your weekend a wee bit more interesting!

What I immediately need to do is seek out the older counterparts to this movie and binge-watch them.

Finally a new reunion with Carl Mørch and Assad with a new crime mystery, the fourth in the series and so far the last one that is planned. It's a shame if there aren't any more, because again this is awesome crime; exciting, unpredictable and raw. Unlike the previous films, the action here is more comprehensive with more elements than what is first assumed. The film manages to balance this well. Still, I think this is a small minus. The previous films were all about a particular event, which they investigated. Here, there are both conspiracy theories and more comprehensive, than the more linear predecessors. Nevertheless, this holds plenty. Contrary to all that goes on television of crime series and movies, Journal 64 is liberatingly different and much more exciting and therefore interesting for anyone who loves good crime.

As usual it's well acted, directed and atmospheric, but for being the darkest (there is truth loosely in the story) it is also the weakest. The problem is a couple of very daft scenes that really do detract, however it's still better than most movies based on novels. Carl and Assad are one of the best partnerships on screen and you do feel for how they have evolved. Pity this seems to be the final in the series.

If you haven't seen the previous episodes, I strongly suggest you do. It explains the bound between the two protagonists. Once again Department Q delivers an emotional and strongly written police adventure. By now it's hard to imagine a movie in these series without the constant switch between past and present. It's an interesting way to uncover the timeline and the motives of each character. It just works really well. Is it the best one in these series? Probably not. But it's still worth your time, even if you haven't seen the previous three films. I hope there will be more of these.

I've only seen one other film from the Department Q series and both were good films. Once the film started, it just grabbed me and didn't let go. I'm not gonna spoil it so all I can say is give it a go if you like thrillers. I was pleased.