robert-temple-1 This is a masterpiece of nail-biting intensity. It is a sequel to a film made as long ago as 1996 by the same director, Kjell Sundvall, with the same actor, Rolf Lassgard, called THE HUNTERS (JÄGARNA, 1996). Lassgard in both films plays Stockholm detective Erik Bäckström, who returns to his roots in the wild and remote northern part of Sweden, a land of vast conifer forests, hunters, and small introverted settlements where everybody knows everybody else far too well. In this sequel of many years later, there are a few wistful flashbacks lasting only a few flickering moments, but otherwise the story is full-on and right-now. The characters portrayed in this film are the Swedish version of 'hicks in the sticks'. and there is more than a whiff of DELIVERANCE (1972) about the atmosphere. All those men going out in gangs with guns to murder elk! There is an unpleasant scene in the film where a female elk is standing twitching her ears and looking with curiosity at the humans, and she is then shot in the forehead and falls over dead. There are a few gruesome scenes which are even more unpleasant. Everyone in this film carries guns frequently, and you would think they had all run for Vice President with John McCain. Rolf Lassgard is marvellous as the central character. He exudes so much gravitas, it could sink a battleship. He is one of those Scandinavians who doesn't have to say anything, he just makes a slight expression in his rather dour face, and you get the message. One can imagine him communicating with Sarah Lund by microscopic twitches of his facial muscles, and no words need pass between them. This is such a nail-biter that unless you wrap your hands in towels you won't have any fingernails left. As to who killed the girl Elin, when, and how, and with which rifle, well that would be telling. But this film is about far more than a murder mystery. It is about searing family tensions, battered wives and children, hypocrisy, cover-ups, psychotic obsessions, criminal ingenuity, corrupt police, desperate danger, and throughout it all, there is the pervasive atmosphere of fear and intimidation of a small community which dare not face its own devils. There is also sadness and redemption. It's all there, you just have to be strong. You will be totally mesmerised by this drama, which is unrelenting, and is what is called 'character-driven' rather than 'plot-driven'. It is about people, some of whom you would definitely not want to meet. But Rolf Lassgard gets my vote for best cop of the year, and also for Mr. Nice Guy of the Frozen North.

OJT There's been 15 years since the first "Jegerne" ("The Hunters), and it's very understandable that there was to be a follow up many years later. This is the finest of thrillers made by the Swedes. Kjell Sundvall has directed both, and that's probably why both th first and the second is almost equally good. The story is different, of course, but the feel and the tension is the same. The film never slips when it comes to make a tense feeling.This is the most true of sequels. We meet the same people 15 years later, where a policeman's family was involved in a murder. All these years later he is ordered back, after a young girl has gone missing.Both films is kept in the same tone. This is brilliantly done. It makes a kind of rural tension. Somewhere where bans between village people are so tight that no one dares speak up. We're in the rural North of Sweden, where hunting is an everyday event. The film depicts the nature and landscape in a beautiful way, and weaves this into the story.We feel the tension all along, and this tension is what makes the films such a treat. The actors are great, where both Rolf Lassgård and Peter Stormare are as good here as in the first. Fine actors. The first film was never forgotten. Not even outside of Sweden. That's why many also was drawn to this continuation many years later. It could've all gone wrong, this follow up. It doesn't, due to fine script writing, great acting, good instruction as well as the Swedish nature.

Bene Cumb Jägarna 2 is a pleasant example of famous Swedish crime thrillers: a gloomy policeman with personal issues, slow pace of events, crimes/misdemeanors related to closed societies, long frames of magnificent local nature. However, I could guess the evildoer's person rather soon and, in my submission, he could have been disclosed at the later stage or even in the very beginning. The two leading actors - Rolf Lassgård and Peter Stormare - are great; I think, for me it is the first film with Stormare performing in his native language. The other actors are good as well, but not very catchy, especially the female ones. Moreover, the film could have been shorter and with more sophisticated ending, but still: it is recommended to those fond of Scandinavian Wallander and Beck types of thrillers.

Akseli Nurmio Jägarna 2 was shown as preview at Tampere, Finland this week. Preview was arranged as blind performance. No one in the audience knew what to expect.The movie by Kjell Sundvall was completely success. The unusual kind of murder mystery surprised with its smooth and natural progress of storyline.I was shocked by extremely magnificent actor work. Roles suited seamlessly.To say something constructive I have to mention the use of extraordinary evil. After a set of plot twists killer's character has grown so abundantly wicked that it bugged me at the end of the film.Not meant to say last, backgrounds of the film were also pleasant to watch. The Nordic nature is always good for the movie.