Kenneth Branagh’s Wallander: The Grave – Wallander: An Event in Autumn (2012)

Directed by: Toby Haynes | 90 minutes | crime, thriller | Actors: Kenneth Branagh, Daisy Ashford, Anna Brook, Helen Carter, Daniel Cerqueira, Laura Dos Santos, Claire Hackett, Mark Hadfield, Matthew Hickey, Louis Hilyer, Joanna Ignaczewska, Barnaby Kay, Harry Kershaw, Albert Maris, Richard McCabe, Nick Moss Georg Nikoloff, Con O’Neill, Saskia Reeves, Sarah Smart, Rebekah Staton, Donald Sumpter, Paula Videniece, Maya Wasowicz, Barbara Wilshere

Inspector Kurt Wallander is having a hard time. He moves to the Swedish countryside hoping to find some peace there, but in no time he finds a corpse in the woods near his new home. In addition, he must investigate the murder of a young girl.

Kurt Wallander is a creation by Swedish thriller author Henning Mankell. The character plays the lead role in numerous novels. Before the British Kenneth Branagh played the role of the depressed sleuth, the Swedish actor Rolf Lassgård did. After the success of the Scandinavian series, an English remake could not be left behind. Fortunately, the source material has been treated with respect by the British.

Branagh is a strong actor who knows how to handle these kinds of roles. He portrays the inspector as a man who does his job reluctantly. His sense of duty is high, but he doesn’t have the energy for it. Murder and manslaughter do not go unnoticed. Unlike American detective series, ‘Wallander’ has a slow narrative pace. It’s as much about the inspector’s character development as it is about solving the murder cases. In terms of action, you don’t have to expect much from this series.

The tension build-up of ‘The Grave’ – as this episode is called – is very strong. Flashy image editing is used and a lot of attention is paid to Wallander’s home situation. It is clear that this man is not comfortable in his own skin and is in trouble with himself. Branagh convincingly portrays the tortured soul. He never becomes a real hero, but neither does he fall into (excessive) self-pity. Due to the slow pace of the story, the film sometimes collapses. It could have been a bit faster, but the acting and the melancholy atmosphere make up for a lot.

However, the choice to have the story set in Sweden is a bit odd. English is spoken continuously, while headlines and warning signs are in Swedish. Also typical Swedish names – a dog is called ‘Jussi’ – come across as alienating. Would have chosen a British setting.