BLACK'S GAME (/Slashing Europe 2012)

BLACK'S GAME

Original Title:
Svartur á leik

German Title:
Black's Game - Kaltes Land

Iceland, 2012
Director: Óskar Thór Axelsson

8,5/10

"Black's Game" - written and directed by young filmmaker Óskar Thór Axelsson, produced by Nicolas Winding Refn ("Drive"), based on Stefán Máni's bestselling crime-novel "Black Curse" - is an awesome Icelandic gangster-thriller, a bit in the vein of movies like "Lock, Stock & 2 Smoking Barrels", "Trainspotting" or "Goodfellas".

Tense and thrilling, fast-paced and action-packed, but also pretty fun and entertaining, thanks to the strong direction and the absolutely excellent script. The movie's is packed with cool, believable and highly likable characters, and many fantastic actors. Stand-outs: Thor Kristjansson, Damon Younger and the super-hot María Birta.

The look of "Black's Game" is outstanding: a beautiful cold color scheme, all the wonderful Icelandic landscapes, powerful cinematography, and a great arsenal of tricks (jump-cuts, freeze-frames, slow-motion...).

The editing is neat, the soundtrack is stunning (Sigur Ròs, Gus Gus, Quarashi...) and it's full of impressive, baffling and/or shocking scenes (sex scene, rape scene, unsettling tortures, the bank heist, the kick-ass ending...).

Short and sweet: I loved this movie!

Imdb