VOD Review: The Absent One (2014)

"Department Q Part 2 is better than the first one."

A few weeks back, we discovered a Nordic Noir called The Keeper of Lost Causes (review HERE.) The first movie in the Department Q trilogy, we really dug everything about it, and so we immediately knew that we had to see its sequels.

The second movie in the trilogy, The Absent One, is every bit as good as its predecessor, and if we're being honest, it's better in some ways. It's also a lot darker, and it doesn't quite end on a happy note, but hey, we don't really expect all that much happiness when it comes to Nordic/Scandi Crime Thrillers.

Maybe that's why we like them so much.

Even after solving the case and saving the life of a politician that everyone besides Morck and Assad thought was dead (in the first movie), their Department Q is still treated like a joke by the entire department. In fact, they're refereed to as "The Drunk and The Arab" by their peers, because their peers are jealous assholes! It probably doesn't help matters that Carl Morck is still as icy and laconic to everyone, including their new secretary, as he ever was.

ASSAD UNDERSTANDS HIM THOUGH.

After Morck turns away a desperate father who begs him to take a look at the decades-old case of the murder of his twin children, the guy commits suicide. Even though he and Assad have piles of cold cases to sort through, he decides to investigate the man's claims, because he feels guilty as hell. As usual, everyone else but Assad thinks that he's wasting his time investigating something that isn't there, but he's a man on a mission, and he won't be dissuaded.

DON'T WORRY THOUGH, IT'S ABOUT TO GET REAL FOR EVERYONE.

With the help of their new secretary (who turns out to be smart as a whip in addition to being a sexy redhead), they discover that a gang of privileged kids at a boarding school might have been up to some shady shit, such as rape, murder, and playing hooky, none of which leads to anything good for anyone.

Good old fashioned Nordic dysfunction ensues.

T-R-O-U-B-L-E.

In some ways, a movie like The Absent One is a pretty by-the-numbers affair; you pretty much know that you're in for 2-hours of watching some Cops unravel a crime, and that the case is going to be solved by the end. That's alright though, because it's the characters that are really the payoff here. Sure, we love the dark mystery of it all, but the interactions between Morck and Assad (or Morck and anyone, for that matter), are what make these films so enjoyable for us.

As with the first one, we get to see the story from two different timelines: One shows us Department Q in the process of solving the mystery; while the other shows us the crimes as they happened. The melding of the two works well, and with the disturbing nature of the story, ratchets up the tension to a fairly palpable level.

HE BROODS A LOT.

Nikolaj Lie Kaas does a great job of playing the troubled, anti-social Carl Morck, and the relationship that he has with his assistant Assad (played equally as well by Fares Fares) is what makes these movies tick. Morck is a self-destructive but brilliant detective, and you can see him struggling with trying to better himself, become more social, and it's fascinating to watch his journey towards what we hope will be some sort of salvation.

Pilou Asbaek makes for a convincing villain for Morck and Assad to face off against, as there's a quiet intensity about him that just screams bad guy. We've been fans of his since watching him on Borgen, and we're glad to see his star is rising with a key role on Game of Thrones. If he keeps playing roles like this, he'll become even more widely known.

HE'S THE PERFECT EURON GREYJOY.

Murder, rape, people being beaten with pipes, people being set on fire, and a really disturbing twist that went to a rather dark place, The Absent One is significantly more violent and gory that the first movie was.

"PAINT ME LIKE ONE OF YOUR FRENCH GIRLS."

There was more nudity and sex in this movie that we thought there would be, considering that the first movie was basically devoid of the stuff.

WELL THEN...

Rich kids at exclusive boarding schools are always evil on the inside. Also, the troubled girls always fall for them, because they love bad boys and all. 

YEAH, SHE'S TROUBLED ALRIGHT.

The second movie in the Department Q Trilogy, The Absent One felt a lot more seedy and disturbing than the first movie did, and that's a good thing. It's definitely a tougher movie to stomach due to the violent sexual nature of some of the crimes, but it's handled with a level of sensitivity that makes it tolerable, especially since you know that Carl Morck will get his man by the time all is said and done, and make them pay.

We loved this one, and we can't wait to check out the third movie. We hope that there will be more to come after that.

B+

The Absent One is available on VOD now,

Hot Danish chicks, anyone?

VOD Review: Dept. Q: The Keeper of Lost Causes (2013)

"Denmark sure knows how to do Noirish Thrillers."

There's just something about Thrillers that captivate us like no other kind of film can. Movies like Memories of Murder, Marshland, The Treatment, The Silence, or Red Riding, to name a few, have this bleak, gritty feel about them, and they have no problem getting down in the dirt to tell their stories... which are usually a combination of shocking, disturbing, and heartbreaking.

Movie like this usually involve a Cop (or maybe a reporter, or some random person out for justice), who delves into some kind of heinous crime, only to become obsessed and lose a part of themselves in the process.

We're not nihilists or anything, but there's just something about that kind of storyline that speaks to us. Many times, the best of these films come out of Europe or Asia. Maybe they're all nihilists?

With all of that in mind, I wanted to take a minute to talk about this Danish Thriller I saw a while back called The Keeper of Lost Causes. It, along with its two sequels, are hitting VOD this Friday, and we wanted to call attention to it, as it's one of those movies that a lot of people might miss otherwise.

Based on the first book in the Q Series, The Keeper of Lost Causes is the story of Carl Morck; a detective in Copenhagen whose mistake destroys the lives of he and two other Cops. After returning from a leave, he's relegated to working Cold Case files in Department Q, as his abilities are questioned, and no one wants to work with him. Well, they do give him a new partner, so maybe one person. 

YOU DUN GOOFED, SON

When he finds the Cold Case of a female politician who supposedly jumped to her death from a moving ferry, something doesn't sit right with him, and so he beings to dig into the case, which pisses everyone off, and could cost he and his new partner both their jobs and their lives.

Nordic Noir ensues. 

WELL, AT LEAST THEY'VE NARROWED IT DOWN.

As an American, it's always fascinating to me to see how other cultures around the world live. In the case of movies like this, how their Police Departments behave, and how people respond to tragic crimes is interesting. Maybe The Keeper of Lost Causes doesn't deserve to be mentioned in the same breath as top notch Thrillers like Memories of Murder or Se7en, but it sure is unique and effective enough to come close. So maybe it does, at least in a way.

This movie is a bit unique in that it tells its story from both the perspective of both the detectives and the victim at the same time, and not in a "cheap gimmick" sort of way. If anything, that device served to ratchet up the tension as the story went on. Speaking of tension, the last 15 minutes or so of the movie, when the Cops are closing in on the truth, is pretty intense, especially given how procedural and relaxed the rest of the movie was.

We're not very familiar with the cast, but we do know Nikolaj Lie Kaas from his role on The Killing (the Danish version), and he's compelling here as the broken detective Morck. Fares Fares is also great as his partner, Assad, as he provides a perfect balance to Morck's doom and gloom attitude. Sonja Richter (When Animals Dream) was also really solid as Merete, a role which looked pretty demanding. Nice job all around by the actors.

DENMARK IS DARK AND FULL OF TERRORS.

If you like Crime Thrillers of the creepy Serial Killer variety, and if you don't mind watching movies with subtitles (which you shouldn't), then The Keeper of Lost Causes should be right in your wheelhouse. It's not all that action-packed, but the way that its mystery unravels kept us on the edge of our seats, especially as the movie wore on. A very solid Nordic Noir, overall.

Give it a rent when it hits VOD on Friday.

B

The Keeper of Lost Causes is on import DVD now, and it hits VOD on 6/17.

Sonja Richter, Patricia Schumann, and Marijana Jankovic are in this.

Import Review: When Animals Dream (2015)

Denmark has given us some great entertainment over the past few years.

Excellent TV Series like The Killing (Forbrydelsen), The Bridge (Broen), Those Who Kill (Den Som Draeber), have not only become international hits, but have been remade in various other countries. And of course there are non-Horror shows like Borgen and Klovn, which are both brilliant in their own right.

On the movie front, they've given us gems like Vikaren, Antichrist, and Room 205. Not a prolific list by any stretch, but a solid one for such a small country.


And of course, Denmark has given us Mads Mikkelsen, which is just about the best thing that any country could ever hope to do.

All of that is to say that when we hear of a new movie or show coming out of Denmark, especially when it's surrounded by all kinds of positive buzz, we get excited. When Animals Dream is one such film, and it might just be the best Horror movie to ever come out of Denmark.

Marie is a shy teenager who spends her time helping her Father take care of her wheelchair-bound Mother, whom is always kept heavily sedated for some reason. After a trip to the doctor to find out what the odd rash on her chest is all about, she begins to wonder what in the hell is wrong with her family, and more importantly, her.

"WELL, THAT'S NOT PUBERTY, I'LL TELL YOU THAT."

Things don't any get easier for her when she takes a job at the local fish factory, as her co-workers either stare at her like she's some sort of freak, or try to get in her pants. Or both. As she begins to discover more about her family, and the secrets that they harbor, she realizes that she's becoming a werewolf, that her Father keeps her Mother drugged-up because she already is one, and the whole town pretty much hates them all.

"THEY DON'T LIKE US."

It's not long before the bodies begin to pile up, and everyone in town stops hiding their distaste for Marie and her family... which only causes more bodies to pile up, which really helps no one. This is why tolerance is always the best option, especially when dealing with werewolves that can rip your throat out when you piss them off. 

Such is the life of a teenager from a small fishing village in Denmark, I suppose.

IF THEY WOULD HAVE ONLY LEFT HER ALONE...

When Animals Dream is an exceptionally well-made movie that puts a quiet twist on the Werewolf sub-genre, which was nice to see. Truly great "Were" movies aren't exactly a common thing, you know. This is also a quiet little Thriller that benefits greatly from its gorgeous Danish locale. It really is the perfect setting for such a moody and somber story.

WE'D GLADLY LIVE IN DENMARK, IF IT WEREN'T FOR THE WEREWOLF PROBLEM.

At times, it plays more like an Indie coming-of-age movie than it does true Horror, with Marie wanting to escape her small Danish town and her parents, more than anything else. Like most teenage girls, she has to deal with her changing body, and everything that comes along with it, and the fact that the changes that she's going through involve her inherited lycanthropy only serves to make things worse for the poor girl.

When the Horror does hit though, it's pretty effective. It's never overtly gory or violent, but it's intense enough to make you hold your breath a bit in anticipation. And it does have its bloody moments.

SHE'S GOING THROUGH CHANGES.

Sonia Suhl did a great job playing Marie, especially considering that this was the first time that she's ever stepped before the camera, and Denmark should just go ahead and declare Lars Mikkelsen (brother of Mads) a national treasure already. He's been great in everything that we've seen him in, and it really sucks that he hasn't gained the international acclaim that his baby brother has, as he's equally deserving.

THOSE EYES HAVE SEEN SOME THINGS...

It may be more of a movie for more high-brow tastes, but don't let that dissuade you from checking it out, as When Animals Dream is a solid effort that should please most Horror fans.The fact that it runs a bit deeper than most movies of its kind is really a good thing, as there are already plenty of blood-and-guts werewolf movies out there, and most of them tend to suck.

B+

Already out on Blu-ray & DVD in a few different countries (Australia and Germany), and set to hit the UK on June 1st, When Animals Dream will also be at the Cannes Film Festival on May 19th... so if you want to see this movie, then either head on over to Cannes, or Import the disc. Either way, it's definitely worth it.

Sonia Suhl and Sonja Richter make for a pretty mother-daughter duo.

Room 205 (2008)

(aka Kolelgiet)
Release Date: On DVD now
Directed by: Martin Barnewitz
Written by: Jannik Tai Mosholt
Starring: Neel Ronholt, Mikkel Arendt and Julie R. Olgaard
 
Denmark has given us a girl with a dragon tattoo, the perverse styling of Lars Von Trier, the amazing styling of Nicolas Winding Refn, and the lead singer of 80's super group White Lion. As far as horror flicks go, well, Denmark isn't very famous for those.

That's why we approached Room 205 with such interest; We've seen Vikaren and Antichrist, and we wanted to see if they had it in them to pull it off again.

Denmark has also given us King Diamond, and if he isn't terrifying, I don't know what is.

Hot, innocent little Katrine moves to the big city to go to University. She meets a group of fellow students who are essentially the snotty cool kids, lead by the snootiest, snottiest, snittiest of them all, Sanne. When Katrine lets her slutty side come out and bangs Sanne's ex-boyfriend, she becomes an outcast!

"You dont bang my ex's, you dumb bitch!"

The cool kids try to bully Katrine; being mean and snarky, smacking her in the mouth and calling her Flugelhoffenbrackensnus (we have no idea what that even means.) They also try to scare her with the local legend of the ghost of a dead girl who haunts the hallways of their dormitory. That must have been tempting fate, because soon enough that very same ghost begins to haunt people! Also, it's Katrine's fault, because she sets the ghost girl free of her ghost prison...

"Thanks for freeing me, you dumb bitch!"

People in the dorm start dying left and right, and no one believes Katrine when she says it's the ghost that's killing everyone. Of course, she sets out to find a way to stop the ghost girl, and end her campaign of revenge!

Room 205 is mostly  knock off of  J-Horror films that involve a vengeful ghost who has been wronged in some way or another. In fact, if you had just replaced the cast of the movie with Japanese actors, it would have been a J-Horror movie to the core. Is that a bad thing? I don't know. It's well made, the girls are nice to look at, and it has its creepy moments. There's blood too, which is always a good thing.

...and some gang rape.

Standing on its own, as a horror flick from a Country not used to making horror flicks, its pretty damned good. If you look at it as a horror flick in general though, it doesn't really stand out from the crowd. Then again movies don't always have to be very different to be good. Being effective while being the same as so many others is alright too.

Who am I to be so harsh on this movie anyhow; America can't make a movie like this on its best horror day anymore. Here in the U.S. of A., the only horror movies that come out of Hollywood and scare people these days are POV flicks like Paranormal Activity. I'm truly starting to believe that atmosphere is now a thing of Indie Cinema and Foreign Film;  Indie Cinema because it tends to be more raw, and Foreign Films because they tend to be so nuanced and story driven. I know, that point could easily be debated, but for the most part, it's a true statement. What used to be the rule in Hollywood is now the exception in most cases.

Now that's how it's done.

Anywho, this was a good Danish flick full of atmosphere and tension, even if it felt more than familiar.

C+ Room 205 is a decent movie that looks good, is filled with good looking people, and does the supernatural revenge thing well enough. It's nothing we haven't seen before, but keep in mind that the movie is Danish, and for them this is relatively unexplored territory. If you're a fan of Grudge-like movies, you should enjoy this one. If you're tired of too many movies biting off of the J and K-Horror style, then you will most likely just roll your eyes at this one.

Why do the Scandinavian countries have so many hot chicks? They need to start exporting them here... in a non human trafficking sort of way.Or traffick them if you want, just get them here please! *THC in no way supports human trafficking, even when it involves really hot chicks who we feel should be sex slaves to some deviant pervert somewhere.