Varg Veum: The Hour of the Wolf – Varg Veum – I mørket er alle ulver grå (2011)

Directed by: Alexander Eik | 90 minutes | action, crime, thriller | Actors: Trond Espen Seim, Lene Nystrøm, Bjørn Floberg, Jonathan Espolin, George Mendel, Ane Dahl Torp, Jon Øigarden

Private detective Varg Veum is the brainchild of Norwegian writer Gunnar Staalesen. The character first appeared in 1977. In 2007, the first film about the surly antihero appeared. Good timing, because interest in Scandinavian thrillers has risen sharply in recent years. Thanks to series like ‘The Killing’ and of course ‘Millennium’. Veum’s popularity is steadily increasing and the books have already been translated into Dutch, English, Swedish, Danish and German.

What makes Veum so interesting is that he’s so damn human. Sometimes he is unenjoyable, clumsy, clumsy and obstinate. This detective has ‘mood swings’ and that makes him very empathetic. His cynical humor also gives him a face all of his own. Norwegian actor Trond Espen Seim has made the character his own and it is a pleasure to watch him. Actually, the boyish Veum is an adult teenager who likes to kick your shins every now and then.

In ‘Varg Veum: The Hour of the Wolf’, Veum is awakened by an explosion. A gun shop just outside his beloved city of Bergen has been blown up. The explosion has claimed several lives and it is up to Veum to catch the perpetrator(s). He can count on help from police officer Hamre. The fact that the strong arm of the law and the private detective cannot always get through one door does not make it any easier. Veum also takes a big blow when he learns that an old friend of his has been murdered. There is a connection between the murder and the explosion. The antihero finds herself in a deadly game between an international paramilitary organization and a weapons manufacturer.

What is striking about this film is that there is a surprising amount of action in it. You’ve never seen Veum moving so much. Although that is at the expense of character development, that in itself is not so objectionable. The spectacle is beautifully portrayed and Espen Seim can also handle faster and more dynamic scenes. In addition to the slick action scenes, ‘Varg Veum: The Hour of the Wolf’ also has some surprising plot twists in store for you. The plot is well put together and the atmospheric soundtrack completes it. This more action oriented film from the ‘Varg Veum’ series is fine.