Exit (2006)

Perfect cast and a good story

not as good as all the hype

Each character in this movie — down to the smallest one — is an individual rather than a type, prone to spontaneous changes of mood and sometimes amusing outbursts of pettiness or ill humor.

I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.

Scandinavian crime thrillers is a known sign of quality, recent years have Danish films excelled Swedish ones, but in many of them, actors from both countries are used. Exit is also a fine example of that cooperation where Mads Mikkelsen - one of the most versatile contemporary Danish actors - was included. Again, he gives a great performance, nicely complemented by fine Swedes such as Alexander Skarsgård and Ulf Friberg, for example. Moreover, Mikkelsen is fluent in Swedish (rare among Danes), thus he is able to communicate in both Danish and decent Swedish throughout the film, emanating from the nature of his character.The plot is okay, even good, but includes some questionable scenes and unexplained events, thus the tag "mystery" is in the right place... Twists and chases, however, were catchy to follow, and the lack of some logic began to "haunt" when the credits appeared, not during watching. All in all, Exit is recommended to all those fond of Scandinavian crime films with pacing faster than average.

Exit starts of interesting with a dramatic happening at a company. This is kept as a secret for seven years. The film soon evolves into a fast paced thriller. As always is Mads Mikkelsen brilliant, here as a business man which find himself in a severe predicament.The film has an interesting premise, and we are immediately drawn into the story, which is well explained, even being difficult business stuff. I haven't been very impressed with Swedish films from the last decade, except for making cheap but decent and well played crime thrillers. This however surprises in a pleasant way. It's engaging, surprising and realistically told about dirty business. The film gives me associations to both the Millennium trilogy and the sublime Norwegian Headhunters.Surprisingly enough, as far as I can find, Peter Lindmark haven't directed a film since this one, which was made in 2006. How can it be he hasn't been called upon to do more directorial work for the last 7 years? I really think this is atrocious, as he deserves to do more work like this. There must be something seriously wrong with the Swedish film industry when this can happen.

You can tell the screenwriters haven't got their heads around this project's plot line when it opens with a long verbal exposition followed by an intermittent voice-over. Now if the voice-over had been that of the dead guy (like Sunset Boulevard) then there's a bit of spice to it but in this case... Why haven't they worked out some visuals to tell this story? Lots of violence, action and boys' toys but not an original bone to its body. The life of a modern Swedish business man seems very Darwinian - red in tooth and claw - but there is good news. His wife still loves him at the end. And there are way too many loose ends. If you enjoy seeing Mads Mikkelsen being mangled then this is the film for you but you could just as easily watch re-runs of Unit 1. Me, I'll stick to Adam's Apple or the Green Butchers and have a giggle. On the plus side - nice scenery (both human and natural), and a decent level of cynicism (no propping up of capitalism here but no alternatives offered either), the film ends more or less in the territory it began (which is the point I guess). You could propose this film as an advertorial for Nail Guns but that's a cheap joke (SORRY).

Just as Thomas (Mads Mikkelsen) is about to step into the limelight of corporate leadership, a ghost from his past comes back to haunt him. Before he knows what's happening, people around him drop like flies and he finds himself at the hand of mysterious blackmailers. You can tell this movie is based on a novel (by Jesper Kärrbrink), and in a bad way. There are just too many loose ends for a feature-length exposition. Behind layers of deception and betrayal, there is nothing but more layers yet. I found it hard even to keep track of the players, both individual and institutional, as Thomas is caught in a circle of rising stakes and increasing violence. Go see it if you liked "The Firm" or Michael Almereyda's "Hamlet".