I didn't expect a lot from this film... I just knew it was a Danish thriller about some political situation, and that it had gotten mostly positive reviews. Being somewhat unimpressed by Danish cinema, I didn't really give it much of a chance to grab me... yet it managed to do so. For at least the last two-thirds of this film, I was hanging by every single line spoken and every detail on screen. It's unusually well-made, not only for a Danish film. I'm impressed that this is Nikolaj Arcel's first movie as a director; he does a marvelous job. The film contains a very accurate and realistic portrayal of politics in a democratic country. As such, it's actually quite unnerving... the thought that something like what is shown in this film can actually take place. The very last line of the film holds more truth than the combined efforts of plenty of less intelligent writers. The plot is interesting. The pace is very good, you're never really bored. The visuals and cinematography are perfect, not too simple, but not flashy, either. The acting is top-notch in all cases. The dialog is well-written and equally well-delivered. The finale is one of the best pieces of storytelling on film I've seen for a while. Now, despite all these positive things I've written so far, this film does have some rather big flaws. First off, it's plot-driven, yet the story and concept would have done much better with a character-driven film. All characters are used as plot devices; they exist to drive the plot further, to tell the story, rather than to evoke emotions and be active parts of it. The character development is slim... actually, it's rather close to completely non-existent. We don't know or care about these people... and why should we? They are all paper-thin and clichéd. Everyone is completely driven by one thing, and one thing alone. The villain is the worst. Not one redeeming quality to him whatsoever. Not even the least bit credible. Something that hurts the high quality of this film is that we are practically introduced to the bad guys... there's no suspense on that front. So part of the film is just watching the main character discover what we already know. What's left for suspense is the viewers following the evidence being collected. Not saying that it isn't entertaining to watch... but it could most certainly have been better. As it is, the film is a well-done and accurate portrayal of modern-day politics with a very good plot, and in which the execution leaves some to be desired. I recommend it to fans of thrillers, particularly political ones. It lacks in nuance and slightly in suspense, but it is well-done and it has an important message. 8/10
