Ondskan

This TV-show is a cinematic masterpiece. Finally, Sweden has truly succeeded with a series that people didn't think could reach such high quality like the movie. People often want to compare it to the 2003 film, and I understand that. It was superb, no doubt. However, this series portrays Ponti and his life much better, giving us a stronger insight into how everything really was. Incredibly talented actors, many of whom are not well-known, have barely been on the big screen, but are now getting their chance of a lifetime. Really uplifting and innovative. A heartfelt thank you goes to Isac Calmroth (Erik Ponti), Gustaf Skarsgård (Åke Ponti), and Christian Fandango Sundgren (Otto Silverhielm) for their outstanding performances.

There is almost no way to not compare this from the movie with the same title from 2003, but since I do not remember most of the movie I think my views are somewhat non-biased.

The acting was really good for most parts, and I love that Gustaf Skarsgård got a role in this one since he also played in the movie. A few minor supporting actors were so-so. The first 2 episodes were really good on all fronts and exciting, after that it got quite boring actually since there was alot of dialouge with the girl that felt like nonsense since she was acting very dramatic and a bit hypocritical for me.

The show took a better turn towards the last episode by making the viewer feel closure and some kind of justice. If it was the justice I expected or prefered I will leave unsaid. Overall this would have been done better as a 2h movie in my opinion, but it still holds up on the positive side of the review scale.

This suffered from what so many dramas starring teens have a problem with - the main actors, including Isaac Calmroth playing Erik, are several years older than their purported ages, much older in fact. It doesn't do much for verisimilitude.

Nonetheless, I enjoyed the series and would have given it an eight had the story not been changed to match some notion of political correctness. For goodness sakes! The action took place sixty odd years ago. Applying modern notions to a brutal story of the dreadfulness of Sweden's past just didn't cut it. Some of the scenes were true to life such as the scullery maids curtseying to the Matron, but notions of noble holding back in the face of overwhelming violence and wickedness are alien to the timeframe. The original book was far truer to the times than the series.

What came across really well in the series was the dichotomous nature of Sweden, proclaiming openness, social democracy, freedom, liberalism while in fact, horrors were going on both hidden and overtly.

Despite my reservations, I recommend this and watched it all over a two-day period.

The premise has been done so many times, but mostly form the US, so I was interested to see it from a Swedish perspective.

It was like a private boys' school / Lord of the Flies, with useless and violent adults hanging around on the sidelines knowing what's happening and condoning it. It's unbelievable that the parents of what seems like over a hundred boys wouldn't know about it and put a stop to actual torture.

The dialogue was pretty weak too, and the storyline sluggish and didn't make relatable sense. Eg. Before he goes to the private school he runs a thuggish gang and is very articulate getting what he wants on the streets, and then, overnight, becomes a total mute and won't say a word and won't stand up for himself? It's just not in any way believable.

The female characters are stereotypical - from the mother, to the girl to the girl's friend, to the nurse. Their dialogue was as if an after thought, and Marja's narration - well, I muted those parts.

I watched until the end but wouldn't recommend.

The actor who played Erik was really good, though - even if his terrible posture was hard to look at.

Evil, or "Ondskan" in Swedish, is a masterpiece of a tv show. Based on the best selling novel, the show fully encompass the themes and tone of the book, whilst cutting out some of the sillier plot points. It's telling how good a show is when, like me, you binge all six episodes in one evening!

I think this version is superior to the already brilliant film from 2003. The relationship between Erik and Marja is better developed and a lot of the other characters are more fleshed out owing to a longer run time in comparison to the film. The teachers are given more depth in the series, especially Tosse Berg, the sports coach. Pierre is given a lot to do as well. However, I preferred the villainous and abuse enabling headmaster from the 2003 film, and I'm not sure which of the evil step Fathers were played better. Although, I did love that Gustaf Skarsgard, who played the main bully, Silverhielm, in the original film also plays the abusive Step Father here.

Erik's backstory is told properly here as well, unlike in the film where it's skimmed over, and the cinematography and sound design are brilliant here. Some of the acting may have been better in the film but the dialogue and atmosphere in the series is unbeatable.

10/10: A masterpiece of a series, and I feel sorry for people outside Sweden who haven't heard of it, or can't find where to watch it.