You know a movie that can capture one’s attention and at the edge of the seat is truly hard to do…especially when the entire movie took place on a fixed set. That’s right, this psychological drama did exactly that. This is where a good storyline will come in to fill in the void. Forget about big and expensive CGI effects and big celebrity names, this Danish film truly brings out the best in cinematic storytelling. It is so damn good that even Hollywood did a remake starring Jake Gyllenhaal. But if you really ask me which is the “better” version, I will say it is the Danish one. Jake’s portrayal of the guilt-tormented soul is a bit too exaggerated and over the top while the Danish actor is more “human” and “real” in his emotions.
Hint - So which version is better? Without a shadow of doubt, the Danish version, period! Thanks to Hollywood for taking the liberty to make changes to the last act. It literally made a difference in the tone of the movie. Director Antoine Fuqua (my fave action director for the Equalizer series) made a big boo-boo here if you asked me. It could have been on par for both versions. If you’ve got the chance, pls watch both and you will know why I preferred the Danish version over the Hollywood one. I love Jake Gyllenhaal and I think he is a great actor but the usual Hollywood embellishment to this movie is not required IMO.
Rating: 5/5 stars