"WALLANDER"
DVD Review
by Kevin Carr
| MOVIE: *** (out of 5 stars)
DVD EXPERIENCE: **** (out of 5 stars) STARRING Kenneth Branagh as KURT WALLANDER Sarah Smart as ANNE-BRITT HOGLUND Sadie Shimmin as LISA HOLGERSSON Tom Beard as SVEDBERG Tom Hiddleston as MARTINSSON Richard McCabe as NYBERG Jeany Spark as LINDA WALLANDER Not Rated Available on DVD June 2 Official BBC America Shop site Studio: BBC America Back to DVD Review Home |  |
WHAT IT’S ABOUT
Kurt Wallander (Kenneth Branagh) is a Swedish police detective who solves the crimes that take place in the ugly side of Ystad. In spite of the beautiful landscape and relative small-town nature of his home, there’s some dreadful crimes he has to face. Based on the international best-selling novels of Henning Mankell, the BBC has adapted three books for television, the first time the stories have been presented in film to an English-speaking audience. Branagh plays the acerbic and imperfect detective in “Sidetracked,” “Firewall” and “One Step Behind.”
WHAT I LIKED
I have never read the Wallander books, and to be honest, I hadn’t even heard of them before watching these BBC adaptations of them. After perusing the special features of this DVD, I understand where they are coming from more than I did before. The appeal of Wallander is that he isn’t a perfect detective. He’s not a superhero. In fact, he has plenty of faults, just like you and me.
Kurt Wallander deals with a divorce in his past, leaving him with a teenage daughter he loves but has no idea how to relate to. He lives with diabetes and struggles with blood sugar issues that sometimes interfere with his work. He does not always say the right thing, but he has passion for his work.
These three BBC movies present a different take on a traditional detective story. They are not your straightforward mysteries, but rather a series of clues that Wallander and his fellow detectives follow. Their structure reveals more mysteries along the way, giving a plot that rarely ends like it begins.
Despite the fact that everyone in Sweden apparently has a British accent, the “Wallander” series of films is shot in Sweden and takes full advantage of the landscapes and background. Because this is not the Mecca of filmmaking, you’ll see a backdrop in these shows that you wouldn’t normally see.
The first film, “Sidetracked,” takes a while to get its footing with the second half playing stronger than the first. Part of the catch of the series is that Wallander himself is quite gloomy and brooding, which is reflected in the show. It’s a bit gloomy for my tastes, but “Sidetracked” does have a decent payoff in the end, with the last half hour being the strongest part of the film.
“Firewall” was my favorite installment, probably because it plays out more like a traditional detective thriller. It’s not as flashy as its high-budget American counterpart, but the show does offer some technology glitz and a chance for Wallander to become an action hero in lieu of a brooding detective.
“One Step Behind” wraps up the series in a very Wallander way. This one is probably the most indicative of shifting the focus of the mystery. It definitely keeps you guessing and has some pretty twisted twists. This story presents the audience with probably the most pathologically disturbing villain and also reveals a new level of Wallander’s insecurities.
WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE
I can appreciate that Wallander fans enjoy the murky and gloomy aspects of these stories, but there’s just a bit too much of this for my tastes. I don’t mind an imperfect hero, but Wallander is just damned depressing. He’s a bit of a social pariah, and this feels as if he’s alienating the audience as well as humanity around him.
DVD FEATURES
The two-disc DVD set includes “Sidetracked” and “Firewall” on the first disc. “One Step Behind” plays on the second disc with almost two hours of additional bonus material. There’s a one-hour documentary called “Who Is Kurt Wallander,” which examines the Wallander phenomenon, hosted by crime writer John Harvey. This documentary is pretty comprehensive, talking about how Swedish culture and issues drive the stories and how the books came to be adapted by the BBC.
Other featurettes include “The Wallander Look” which talks about the decision to shoot the series in Sweden using an innovative digital camera. “Branagh’s Wallander” takes a look at how Kenneth Branagh made the legendary character his own.
Finally, “Branagh-Mankell Interview” is a half-hour sit-down conversation between Kenneth Branagh and “Wallander” author Henning Mankell.
WHO’S GOING TO LIKE THIS MOVIE
Fans of the Wallander series and BBC mysteries.
