Die Spur der Jäger (1996)

Die Spur der Jäger: Directed by Kjell Sundvall. With Rolf Lassgård, Lennart Jähkel, Jarmo Mäkinen, Tomas Norström. A Stockholm cop moves back home to his brother near Norway and Finland. He investigates out of control deer poaching. He confiscates rifles with no permits. Everybody, even his brother and local cops, are against him. Things escalate.

“One of the biggest Swedish box-office hits of the last couple of decades, this is an almost western-like story about a man who returns to his backwater town when his father dies.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eErik Bäckström (Rolf Lassgård) left his small hometown in the north of Sweden when he was younger to become a policeman in the big city. Now that his father has died he returns to the small town. He starts working on a long-running case of people poaching reindeer, but he soon discovers that not many people have any real interest in the case being solved. Eriks loyalties are tested along with his views on right and wrong.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThis movie is quite solid, more so than most Swedish movies i might add. But still there are a few flaws that needs to be discussed. First of all this movie is not very sympathetic in itu0026#39;s description of the people from northern Sweden. Rather they are portrayed as a bunch of racist, moonshine-drinking rednecks. A view to be questioned no doubt. Also what strikes me about this movie is the almost complete lack of emotion it presents. There are terrible things going on on screen, brutal and terrifying, but they are examined at a distance and without any real moral judgment. It feels clinical.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eWhat makes this an enjoyable experience despite the flaws though are several things. Rolf Lassgård is very good in the lead as the policeman, and also the rest of the cast perform well. Especially i might mention Lennart Jähkel as his brother. Also the movie is exciting and has quite a lot of suspense. And while the director shows very little emotion in the way he portrays the events of the film, there is still much emotion to be had. Jägarna is a movie that makes you think.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eI rate it 7/10.”