Just perfect...

An absolute waste of money

A film of deceptively outspoken contemporary relevance, this is cinema at its most alert, alarming and alive.

Blistering performances.

A "black comedy" that is neither black nor comedic. I had such high expectations and kept hoping that it would get better but sadly, it didn't. An hour and 56 minutes I won't get back.

"In Order of Disappearance" is NOT a film for everyone. In some ways, I'd categorize it as 'Murder Porn'...a movie with many, many vivid and brutal killings...like a Tarantino or Guy Ritchie movie. And, like one of these incredibly carnage-filled movies, it's also exceptionally well made. But being well made does not mean it's for everyone....it is a really nasty story of revenge.When the film begins, two guys are abducted and one is murdered. The other escapes and eventually makes it to see Nils Dickman--the father of the dead man. It seems that the guy who got away was involved with drug dealers but Dickman's son was completely innocent. Well, Nils isn't about to let go and has decided he must have justice--even though he's just one man against a gang of vicious drug dealers. It's funny, as Nils was just awarded a Man of the Year award...and now he's about to become a vicious killing machine. Nils only has one lead and soon abducts this lead. He savagely beats and then murders the gang member after he learns the next one in the chain of command and does the same once again. After Nils kills his third gang member, the gangs take notice...and think it's a rival Serbian gang behind all this. Soon, it's all out war...and bodies are piling up faster than the audience can keep track of them. This film is exquisitely directed and realistic to boot. But it's also blood-filled and violent...and I am talking about very realistic and hideous killings. I was actually surprised, as I just assumed Americans and Brits were the only ones making these sort of films! Well made...but please, please, please...DON'T let your kids, mother or Father O'Reilly catch you watching this film!

Greetings again from the darkness. "The Count" versus "Papa" should not be mistaken for a new cartoon featuring Sesame Street battling The Smurfs. This Norwegian film from director Hans Petter Moland and writer Kim Fupz Aakeson is oddly entertaining, often funny and plenty violent.Stellan Skarsgard stars as Nils Dickman, a quiet, keep-to-himself snow plow operator who is being recognized as his town's Citizen of the Year. We see Nils clearing what appears to be the same roads over and over with a snow blower that looks like some type of NASA moon vehicle … the mundane life having a rhythm that seems to deliver a kind of peace. Nils' untroubled world is rocked when his son is murdered under suspicious circumstances. It kicks off his mission for revenge … and in the process, this snow plow operator accidentally initiates a mob war between the Norwegians and the Serbs. This might have you wondering where the humor comes in. It could be compared to a Charles Bronson movie – if Bronson was an otherwise meek fellow who was laser-focused on revenge for his son's murder (actually, that sounds like the synopsis of quite a few Bronson movies).The film is divided into chapters named after the dead bodies … and it's a rapidly changing scoreboard. I counted 14 chapters and 24 victims, but I'll admit it's quite possible I missed one or two. The always interesting Bruno Ganz plays Papa, the cold-blooded leader of the Serbian mob who rarely needs to speak. Pal Sverre Hagen plays "The Count" … the first vegan movie gangster I can recall, and certainly a memorable character who at times seems like a poser, while at other times proves he is ruthless.The three main characters all have sons who play a major role in both the story and their motivation, and there is a certain symmetry in the ending as two ride off into the proverbial sunset (though the sun evidently rarely shines in this town). And even if you didn't enjoy the subtle humor (both situational and dialogue-driven), you are likely to find a least a chuckle in one of the main character's final words for his ex-wife.Coen Brothers influence permeates the frosty air – maybe I didn't mention that it's snowy and beyond cold in every scene. The snow is a character here and the real characters fall into one extreme or the other … subdued on the surface or eccentric and desperate for attention. These conflicts bring humor to situations that would otherwise offer nothing but gloom. It's an unconventional and stylish film and one that will probably find a loyal and appreciative audience.

Norway has a habit of producing slick, gritty crime dramas. In Order of Disappearance is no exception. This film is a clever revenge/crime drama with a a well crafted symmetry. Dispirit characters seemingly with little in common are brought together as this film unfolds, primarily by a shared need for revenge. The predictable result, is death. Lots of death. That said, there is nothing maudlin about this film. If anything it treats death in a rather matter of fact fashion. Its simply an outcome of life and one to be accepted. Indeed, there is more than a little gallows humour sprinkled throughout this film, including a rather comical death in the closing scene.This film is well paced and there is a good amount of action on offer. The film is not overly violent but the violence that is offered up, particularly in the opening portion of this film is, at times, quite graphic.The acting is excellent throughout and some of the characters, particularly the crime lord known as "The Count", really add colour and much needed humour to this film. Simply put, In Order of Disappearance is well worth your time. I found it so engrossing that even the subs were of little consequence. Nine out of ten from me.