The Darkness is an extremely attractive Nordic noir series

The Darkness. Skyshowtime.

★★★★★

Swedish veteran director Lasse Hallström has put all his skills into play and at the same time inspired his actors and other production workers to do the same. Thus, a rather goofy Icelandic detective story has become an extremely attractive Nordic noir series, which dives into the dark currents of the secrets of both the cruel country and the people.

The Darkness based on Icelandic Ragnar Jónasson to invest in their home country Darkness– detective story (Fin. Vilja-Tuulia Huotarinen2022). Its striking difference to the Icelandic landscapes of the one setting his work One Rämön the thing about detective stories is that you don’t really feast on the scenery, but the characters are as deep as the roots of fire and water under the ice.

The main character is Detective Inspector Hulda Hermannsdóttir, who wants to solve one last case before she is kicked out of retirement at the age of 64. Where has the young woman who applied for asylum in Iceland disappeared to?

Series the main plot follows the main plot points of the work. From the best parts of the work, the screenwriter grows and sprawls Sam Shoren a cavalcade of characters and intrigue that are constantly deepening in the treatment. In any case, the series differs from the book in essential aspects, because while the main character of the work can be a lone wolf fighting against everything and everyone, such a thing wouldn’t really work in the series. The time levels have also been reduced with a nimble hand, and the plot has been brought into the present as far as possible.

Based on this, the mainly Nordic Actors and the director have made an easy-looking effort, although undoubtedly with shoulder strength, to an amazingly atmospheric final result.

The Darknessin Hallström’s creditable actor, 72 years old, shines as the brightest star I was Lena. In the book, I fleshed out Hulda, betrayed by a difficult life and harboring bitterness, into a modern-day valkyrie, with a furious passion for life and a sense of justice. As a police officer, he dispenses justice – if necessary, bypassing his predecessor and the law – although the misogynistic and ageist environment does not make it easy.

Sideshow Actors are no match for Olin. Especially Lukas, who will replace Hulda (Jack Bannon) brings a subtle softness to Iceland’s biting police scenes, because both the protagonist Magnús (Björn Hlynur Haraldsson) that colleague Alexander (Thorvaldur Kristjansson) strive to house Hulda, and husband Jón’s (Thorsteinn Bachmann) support seems mostly like an avalanche of requirements.

The colors of the costumes and set are painted with a sparse palette: the colors of petrol, blood, sea and ice are sometimes – albeit rarely – warmed up with inviting warm lights. The majestically eerie music elevates the Icelandic landscapes and tight atmospheres even more.

Out a word of warning. The Darkness is not a good-natured Icelandic detective story.

In this series, Iceland’s nature is harsh, cruel and deadly. The people of Iceland are like the nature of the country. There are no good people, there are only people who sometimes make less questionable moral choices. There are bad guys. In abundance.

That’s exactly what this brutal collection of scarce shades does The Darknessista an overall work of art painted more broadly than the usual detective series. You have to – maybe for the first time ever – admit that the series is better than the book by a long shot.