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45 out of 50 people found the following review useful: Excellent and beautiful TV cop drama – set in Sweden, 8 December 2008 Author: LouE15 from United Kingdom
Watching two episodes of "Wallander" makes me think of Isabelle Huppert's line in Hal Hartley's great "Amateur": "everything I write comes out sad. Why do you think that is?" Kenneth Brannagh's shambling, weary detective Kurt Wallander is as far from TV's 'Columbo' as it's possible to get, despite certain physical similarities.In a way that I seem to recognise as uniquely Nordic, Wallander goes about his daily business – solving murders – with a residual sadness on him and his world, and everything in the show – from the art-house photography and pared-down sets, to the score, to his life and to each episode's stories themselves – helps create a consistent portrait, so that by the time I settled down for episode two, Wallander's appearance was an automatic trigger to a certain state of mind.Each classy episode takes its time, draws visual comparisons, sets Wallander up in his world, makes you know him better. I'm loving it : it's on a par with the excellent French TV thriller "Engrenages" that previously appeared on BBC4, and anything ever so slightly formulaic about the story lines in each episode is offset by the serious and committed acting, the well-drawn characterisation, the consistent visual tone. I'm so glad they avoided the Meryl Streep world of accents and wholesale removal of the drama to the UK (or USA). These are Swedish characters in a Swedish town who write in Swedish – it's just that we're hearing them in English. And this technique allows them to cast truly excellent English supporting actors without any fear of uneven accents or geographic transitions that don't work so well. (No English forest ever looks quite like a Scandinavian one. And the British don't so much do sadness and mournful humour, as bleakness and black humour – they're quite different.)I saw Kenneth Brannagh as an electrifying 'Hamlet' on stage in the late 80s, and this feels something like being reacquainted with an old ghost. He's no longer young, and he's not beautiful, but he makes masterful use of his eyes, his voice, the very weariness life has given him – to create a memorable man, not just a cartoon portrait. Highly recommended.
38 out of 46 people found the following review useful: Northern light, 1 December 2008 Author: jhsteel from London, England
This new addition to the TV detective genre grabbed my attention and I was rewarded by an enjoyable drama. I was impressed by the scenery, Nordic interiors and ambiance of this piece, and it had an atmosphere of Northern light that reminded me of other detective stories set in the north, such as Insomnia (Al Pacino, in Alaska) or Smilla's Feeling for Snow. That atmosphere was compelling and Ken Branagh's performance kept my attention, although the plot seemed to be heading in a certain direction and the answer was not a big surprise. The fact that everyone spoke English but all were clearly Swedish was amusing as well. That aspect reminded me of Gorky Park, in which all the Russians spoke with English accents. It allows the suspension of disbelief and the English-speaking viewer feels drawn into another culture. I don't usually watch detective/murder mysteries these days because I don't enjoy murder as a spectator sport, but this was worth seeing because of the performances and the unusual setting, sets, high production values and stunning photography. Looking forward to the next 2 episodes.
16 out of 19 people found the following review useful: Brilliant first episode, 30 November 2008 Author: lfisher0264 from United Kingdom
*** This review may contain spoilers ***
Beautifully shot in great locations. Full of English character actors like David Warner and Malcolm Tierney. Kenneth Branagh is superb as the dour Scandinavian policeman. In the first episode, he faces a serial killer with an axe, some severely traumatised young people, a separated wife who's just "met somebody", a bolshy daughter, a father with incipient Alzheimers, a young criminal profiler who thinks he knows everything... It could be corny - especially the obligatory soapy stuff about the detective's home life - but the cast ACT instead of indulging in the overdone thesping that makes series like Waking the Dead unwatchable. OK, let's face it, it IS corny. The direction (and art direction) dazzle, but we can still see all the old cop show clichés. The style is ripped off from the French cop series Engrenage (which lifted its entire plot from Murder One). Doesn't stop it from being compusively watchable, tho.
11 out of 12 people found the following review useful: Brilliant British Production of Swedish National Treasure, 28 July 2009 Author: mravenwud from United States
Detective Kurt Wallander, a man in perpetual need of a shave and a healthy meal is a noir-by-day modern gumshoe fighting for justice. His dedication has cost him. His wife left him after finding out he's already married to his work. His daughter is an earnest and dutiful supporter of the detective, but oblivious to the evil his eyes see daily. Not sure how he's doing it, but Kenneth Branagh OWNS this role and he's *really* appealing as this frayed-at-the-edges public servant. Shot like a mini-series, or a movie for TV, I admit I am impressed with his ability to flex into this role that is so utterly unlike his Shakespeare work. Frankly, he acts circles around the other cast members. A must-see for the mildest Branagh fan and good enough for any mystery/detective story lover. FYI: Disc 1 has two episodes. Disc 2 has one episode and special features that has spoilers if you don't see the other shows first. I was disappointed that I saw the 3rd episode before the first two. I understand there are 3 more episodes ordered for 2010. 07/09
6 out of 8 people found the following review useful: Very good made-for-television mysteries, 18 June 2009 Author: charliechillout from United States
I usually enjoy British-made mystery series, and "Wallander," starring Kenneth Brannaugh, is one of the recent series that particularly stands out.Based on the mystery novels by Henning Mankell, "Wallander" maintains the Swedish setting of the novels, and the slightly moody tone of the books. Wallander is a complex character with many foibles, but he remains sympathetic, and Brannaugh's portrayal is spot-on. The relationship of the title character with his daughter and his colleagues rings true both to life and to the original novels.As to another reviewer thinking it's odd that they're speaking English when it's set in Sweden, unless it's being dubbed from English into another language (particularly Swedish), I would find nothing odd about it. I wouldn't expect a British series to be written in Swedish, regardless of the setting or the original source. No more did I expect "The Last Emperor" to be filmed in Chinese or the characters in "I, Claudius" to be speaking Latin. The Swedish setting is highly evocative, and the series is true to the spirit of the books.I highly recommend "Wallander" for anyone who likes character-driven detective mysteries. (ETA: BTW, anyone who has a chance to see the original Swedish "Wallander" series, it is somewhat different, the drama more implied through the circumstances of the particular crimes, and is more subdued; there's also more of a "police procedural" feel to it. They're sometimes shown on U.S. television w/ English subtitles. I don't know if it's available dubbed or not -- but as I prefer not to watch things that are dubbed even when I don't speak the language, I'm very glad to say that I'm only acquainted with the subtitled version. I'd say that the Swedish version picks up more the plot and action of the books, whereas the British version is more interested in the characters, particularly Wallander, but also the characters and motivation of the perpetrators.)
2 out of 4 people found the following review useful: Good thriller mystery worth the watch!!!!!, 13 July 2009 Author: kevinkishin from United States
I enjoy a good mystery that doesn't drag, Kenneth Branaugh shines in this it's modern hip & it doesn't over saturate your senses.I recommend it just on the strength of good strong characters in this series,there not to complex where they drag you to sleep.The shocking scenes in this series are not to far over the top,your attention is maintained without all the special effects you would think that crimes such as these don't happen to often in Sweden,the writer makes you believe,so if you live in a bubble existence this will be a shocker to you.Furthermore the character feels real to me he has legitimate problems that he balance's out pretty well with his coworkers & daughter,he doesn't rant & rave like most cop show character's & he's not dry either.
19 out of 42 people found the following review useful: Escape from the shadow of Morse, 5 January 2009 Author: paul2001sw-1 (paul2001sw@yahoo.co.uk) from Saffron Walden, UK
A grumpy, middle-aged loner investigates a string of unlikely serial killings in a picturesque town - it sounds like a description of Colin Dexter's detective, Inspector Morse, but it also covers Wallender, his Swedish equivalent. Having recently watched a Swedish television adaptation of the Wallender books, the idea of Wallander as a Swedish Morse was certainly apparent. But in this BBC version, it seems a deliberate attempt has been made to change the script. Kenneth Brannagh plays Wallander as a quiet, depressed man, seemingly devoid of any charisma or natural authority, lost in his own existential woes; the force of Morse's personality is not in any way apparent. The direction of the series tends to the filmic as well, breaking from the step-by-step approach of the classic television detective story and preferring a more impressionistic, atmospheric approach. Personally, I'm not so convinced that either of these innovations work - Brannagh's permanent internal grief grates and does not convince (most people learn to wear a mask on their misery as a prerequisite for survival), while I didn't always find it possible to follow the details of the plots. There's also a certain innate problem of having English actors, speaking English, playing Swedes; if one is looking for insight into the Scandinavian character, one won't find it here. The final problem, the improbably complex actions of the killers in each story, is innate to the source material. 'Wallander', in conclusion, takes itself just a little too seriously; there's not enough material to justify it's metaphysical pretence. The Swedish version did a better job as a straightforward detective thriller, even if it had a certain familiarity to viewers of 'Inspector Morse'.
6 out of 18 people found the following review useful: Why?, 18 June 2009 Author: Thorsten-Krings from Germany
I seem to be the only one who is negative about the series. I have read and enjoyed all the books and loved the series with Rolf Lassgard. And that exactly is my first point: Lassgard IS Wallander as much as Thaw is Morse. Remaking the original series with Brannagh would be like rer-making Sean Connery's Bond films with David Suchet. Undoubtedtly a great actor but not James Bond. Anyway, I fou d the pace at which the films moved incredibly slow and was quite frankly bored to death by it. I could see the point of remaking it if it had been better than the original series but it's a copy at best but doesn't add anything new. I guess it must be popular with people who can't be bothered to watch the dubbed original Swedish version.
6 out of 26 people found the following review useful: A complete shambles, 1 June 2009 Author: PAUL ROMNEY from United States
This series has several things going for it: a good cast, a bleak vibe, music to match, nice photography. But a police thriller is nothing without a believable plot, and the plots of these three episodes range from the exiguous (episode 1) though the far-fetched (episode 2) to the completely ridiculous (episode 3). I read that there is to be a second series, and if this trend continues I wait with horrified fascination to see what new heights of absurdity the writers can achieve. A Guardian newspaper headline refers to "Inspector Norse," but the comparison is ill-conceived: the Inspector Morse plots were always plausible and sometimes clever. Likewise in the case of Prime Suspect: the cop Angst may sometimes have been overdone (especially in the final story) but the plots themselves never strained credulity. Branagh is a great actor, but close-ups of him emoting, even when interspersed with nice shots of scenery, are simply not enough to carry a policier.
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