Bene Cumb
In spite of its smallness and remoteness, Iceland has lively and notable film industry, with several remakes made in Hollywood and world-famous actors included. This century has seen the development of thrillers, often based on real events - in the line of other Nordic countries. Svartur á leik is a fine example of them: realistic plot and characters, twists in the scenario, witty ending... Well, unlike in Hollywood films, there are no constant chases, shootings and explosions, characters are not dealing with thoughtful sayings and not escaping in the very final moment... Nevertheless, there is a kind of Nordic style, splendidly complemented by nature scenes and club milieu. The actors and scene feed may seem a bit torpid, but so the Nordic people are... Recommended to all those fond of Nordic crime films, and not thinking of Iceland as an idyllic and static country - international crime and addictions have reached this distant and thinly populated island as well...
dadatuuexx
Well,i,m not hip to this filmmaker,but i am hip to a good movie.I watch crime films,and action,and i know what i like.This film is way worth a watch.The copy i saw was dubbed to English,but its from Iceland ,or Norway(not too sure),but it does not matter,i watch movies ,from anywhere,in many languages,so i,m glad i could understand it.The visuals were great,and i liked the pace.The story was cool,and was based on true events i heard.The actors did a fine job,and the movie follows the main character thru a good story of choices,and crazy turn of events that get him deeper,and deeper in the crime syndicate he gets introduced to.A childhood friend helps him out of a jam,and thats where it all starts.I was pulled into the story right from the start.If your into crime,and action films,and don't care if it does not have a lot of trendy American actors,and just want to see a good movie,watch this one.i did,and was glad i did.
Tommy Nicholls
Black's Game is a film produced by the director of Drive, Nicolas Winding Refn. I most likely don't need to tell you this, as most of you will have probably come to this after devouring his cinematography, looking for more of the same stylish cinema. What I do need to tell you is that this, isn't really like his works, well at least not his more modern attempts. It does have aspects of Refn, most notably with the Soundtrack and the style, but this is not Refn. Óskar Thór Axelsson establishes himself here as someone to watch.It starts slowly, and as the events unfurl and become chaotic, so does the pace of the film really hyping up towards the finale. Every character is well played, and despite the language barrier, I could actually feel the characters. Everything about this film, was stylish and well played out, really mimicking its subject and the lifestyle without seeming forced. At a relatively short time of an hour and forty minutes, this doesn't outstay its welcome, unlike a lot of films released today. And is well worth a watch, especially if you like crime drama's. Overall, a stylish look at the start of the Millennium, and a fascinating character driven crime drama.
JvH48
I saw this film as part of the Rotterdam Film Festival 2012. Main features are the high quality acting and script. The story has an unmistakable drive, keeping your attention for the whole duration. What we see unroll is a typical growth path for a young criminal. He starts with something relatively innocent, moves on to something less benign, and just has to continue from then on while becoming more and more unable to leave the "circle".As a bonus we get a nice hint from the mentor-in-crime of our main character. When something unexpected happens, do the first thing that comes to mind, however strange it may be, and do it without any hesitation. He indeed acts on that rule a few times with success, especially in the final scene. How that last scene ends exactly, is deliberately left open by the film makers. I don't consider that to be a real problem, this being the only logical wrap-up for the story.The final Q&A revealed that the footage was shot last May, but that the editing only finished the Monday before the festival screening. Having a fixed deadline in the form of this festival, was definitely needed to arrive at the finished product we saw.
AD
