Director: Jarl Emsell Larsen
Starring: Axel Boyum , Anneke Von Der Lippe, Odin Waage, Per Kjerstad
Certificate: 15
Running time: 360 mins
The love for Nordic noir has grown over recent years and ignited an imaginative, gripping fascination with the crime genre. Eyewitness (Øyevitne) delivers a superb series that reiterates why there’s so much love for the Scandinavian reinvention
Eyewitness (Øyevitne) is a Norwegian crime drama from Norway that tells the story of two 15 year-old boys Philip (Axel Boyum) and Henning (Odin Waage), who hide a secret. Sharing a mutual attraction that they fear will be discovered they take to a small cabin at a remote quarry. Their encounter is interrupted by the arrival of car containing four men and soon witness a gun battle but are unintentionally discovered to have witnessed what occurs but manage to escape, and with the murder weapon.
The cast deliver intensely enthralling performances, particularly the young cast members. Anneke Von Der Lippe delivers a dazzling performance as Helen Sikkeland, and is a strong heroine that could be matched to the likes of Sarah Lund for fans of Danish TV series The Killing. With sensitive writing and acting the obvious clichés are avoided.
The series has does have flaws but I found myself overlooking them by the many positives. The narrative holds many diversions but it all culminates in a gripping and shocking finale which makes the series highly recommended to fans of the genre.
Eyewitness (Øyevitne) is available on DVD now.
