Sorry, this movie sucks

Fresh and Exciting

A great movie, one of the best of this year. There was a bit of confusion at one point in the plot, but nothing serious.

The acting in this movie is really good.

One doesn't like to criticize a favorite detective series, but this particular episode of BECK proved particularly pointless, with lots of money being spent on expensive car-chases and location filming to little effect.The plot was particularly far-fetched involving a radical environmentalist group threatening to blow up a nuclear plant led by crazy American George (Stephen Rappaport). One of that group was Kim Reeshaug (Kirsti Torhaug), who happened to be a former lover of Gunvald (Mikael Persbrandt). Initially Gunvald thinks that Kim has been charred to death in a cold-blooded murder, but discovers that she is still alive. There follows a quest in which Gunvald sets out to discover the truth, save Kim and ensure her son Tom's (Christoffer Hedén) continued existence. Oh, and we must not forget that Tom might or might not be Gunvald's illegitimate son (the point is left fascinatingly unanswered).Unlike most mainstream episodes of this series, Harald Hamrell's production did not concentrate much on characterization: Beck (Peter Haber) was left as a peripheral figure trying to remonstrate with Swedish MI6 about Gunvald's unprofessional conduct. There were lots of close-ups of Gunvald's worried features as he sat in a car or stared longingly at his ex-lover, but little in the way of explanation as to why he should be carrying the romantic can for someone he knew so little. There were several fight sequences, including one thoroughly implausible sequence where Gunvald was shot, fell into a weir, and emerged shortly afterwards with only a scratch to his waist.There were car-chases aplenty for those who like that kind of thing, but the overall impression of this episode was that much noise had been created for little effect.

This instalment opens with a woman, later identified as Kim Reeshaug, fleeing unknown pursuers with her son; she manages to make one phone call before they are cornered and the boy taken away. The call was to Gunvald and he races to the scene and discovered the burnt body of a woman. It soon becomes apparent that Kim had been on a watch list after MI6 had told Swedish Security Service that she was involved in a shady environmentalist group known as 'The End Justifies the Means'. As the story progresses we learn that Gunvald had previously been in a relationship with Kim and more surprisingly that she is not the dead woman. She is part of the group but has come to have doubts about their methods and is only working with them because they have her son. The group's latest plan is to force the closure of nuclear power stations by proving that they are vulnerable to terrorist attack. Gunvald eventually tells Beck that Kim is alive leaving him in a difficult position with the Security Service.This was another solid, if a little far-fetched, story. If you can accept the coincidence that a woman Gunvald new ten years previously is no caught up in a terrorist group it is a lot of fun. There is plenty of tension; so much so that a couple of times it looks as though Gunvald might have been killed! There are plenty of twists during the story although the conclusion is hardly a big surprise. It was fun to see Gunvald take centre stage in a story; Mikael Persbrandt does a fine job as this entertaining character. The 'End Justifies the Means' were a fairly interesting mix of misguided idealists and genuinely dangerous people who would be more than willing to cause a melt down at the nuclear plant to further their goals. While there is action and tension there is still some humour… Beck's hilarious neighbour may have moved but he hasn't gone far; moved to the flat below his old one so he can still chat to Beck when they are on their balconies; it is just that they are now on different levels. Overall I found this to be a fine episode.

There is not much to say. The "modern" but now well-established Beck series keep on going in the same way as usual. The only major difference is Mikael Persbrandt's new and dubious semi-alcoholic look. When first gazing upon that grizzled beard, those weary eyes and drowsy voice you may also quickly realise the fact: Persbrandt has begun taking after his father-in-law, Swedish rock artist Ulf Lundell!Now, about the film. There is not much to say because it is so cliché-ridden and out of proportion you'll either consider it to be a great flick or a really crappy one.Personally I must settle with the crap group and once more point out the obvious fact: movie plots involving large political events and terrorism don't do well on Swedish soil. It is simply too far-out for that moderate, little country. I do recommend those of you who read this to rather look for the old Martin Beck series with Gösta Ekman in the main role and Rolf Lassgård as a much more convincing Gunvald Larsson. The crimes are far less spectacular but all the more convincing and crafty.