User Reviews

This is the second film installment that I am aware of in this detective drama, following on from "The Keeper of Lost Causes".

At first glance the translated title, "Killer of Pheasants", seems somewhat misleading. In fact, its well chosen. Pheasants demonstrate sexual dimorphism. That is the males are brightly coloured, whilst the females are plain. The wealthy male sexual predators at the heart of this tale, like male pheasants, appear to have everything. They lead bright, shining, seemingly flawless lives. By contrast, their female collaborator turned victim, suffers a bleak life of dispossession, but as we see she is, ultimately, a better human being.

Indeed, this story is, arguably, as much about dispossession, as it is a crime story. It speaks to the destructive power of inequality and how money not only does not remedy human flaws but can, in fact, amplify them.

Of course, its also a good crime thriller, with many subtle and often oblique, plot shifts. It takes time for all the intricate pieces of the crime puzzle to come together but when they do, its a very satisfying experience.

The acting is outstanding. Nikolaj Lie Kaas skillfully reprises his role as Carl Morck. A socially awkward, self destructive but nonetheless brilliant, driven detective. Fares Fares returns as his long suffering but understanding partner, Assad. The comfortable chemistry between these two lead actors makes this film easy viewing.

The other cast members, including the key villains of the piece, are well chosen and able actors who fit snugly into their respective roles.

For some people, possibly the only shortcoming, may be the sexual violence inherent in the film. If you are of a sensitive disposition you may want to give this film a pass. That said, if you are not perturbed by the violence or the subtitles, this film is a must see. Ten out of ten from me.

Horror Hunters is a Danish film directed by Mikkel Nørgaard. In its native land, this film recently became the highest grossing domestic film in history. Now it's coming to DVD internationally and you'll have a chance to see it as well.

The film is an extremely graphic and unflinching crime film--one that you should be warned about before you decide to see it or not. While it's extremely well made, there are also some very graphic murders, tons of blood, rape and other bits of nastiness that make this a poor choice if you want to watch a film with the kids or your mother. Think twice before you'd consider doing this...no, think three times!

The film is a bit reminiscent of the American television shows "Cold Case" or "Cold Case Files" in that the story involves a police unit which investigates unsolved crimes. However, the case is unusual because someone has already been convicted of the crime. It seems that a police captain KNOWS there's much more to the case but has been unable to go further with the case. How he passes it on to the team is something...really, really something.

This case turns out to be 20 years old. And, through the course of the film, it turns out that the case has a lot of similarities to other cases committed since--horrible, senseless and violent crimes committed for kicks. The key to solving this is a woman named Kimmee who disappeared long, long ago as well as her involvement with a pair of rich and malevolent prep school teens. But, solving any of these crimes will be very difficult, as the perpetrators are powerful and well connected. It's made even more difficult because one of the investigators is an emotional mess himself and you really aren't sure if he'll solve the crime or end up getting himself killed due to his recklessness and unwillingness to back down when he's pressured to do so by his superiors.

As I first mentioned, the film is very graphic--much more so than I usually would watch. On the other hand, the plot is very intelligently written and the story is one that sucks you in and won't let you go until the guilty are brought to justice. For crimes of cop stories that don't mind a film that is very edgy and dark, this one is well worth seeing.

Good murder mystery noir from Denmark showing at NYC's IFC Center for just one week, and a picture that deserves more exposure than that. It is a tense detective story of a 'cold case', a double murder 20 years old taken up by Danish Detectives Morck and Assad. I am a great fan of top shelf detective films, and film noir in particular, and this one is surprisingly well done.

Nutshell; a brother and sister were murdered 20 years previous and the crimes were unsolved. Their father, a retired cop, approaches Morck and pleads with him to renew the case. Morck dusts him off, saying he is too busy. The father then turns up as a suicide, which leads Morck to regret his cavalier treatment of the father and decides to investigate. His subsequent investigation takes a sordid turn and becomes darker as the story unfolds.

There are three movies in the Det. Morck series, and I wish I could have stayed for all three. It is remarkably well done and bears all the hallmarks of Hollywood noir films. Morck is a no-nonsense detective who smokes and is hard-drinking and with a clear-headed assistant who tries to be a counter balance. Morck is moody and obsessive and will break the rules in the name of truth and justice, and the chemistry between the two is a tribute to their acting and to the screenplay. The movie scene needs more of this type of grown up fare as many of us have tired of the usual sequel to a dull film and of animated cartoon movies for 6 year olds. While Indies like this are produced perhaps there is still hope for a foundering art form.

Saw this recently on a rented DVD. This is the follow up to the Keeper of lost causes. In this film, both Nikolaj n Fares need to solve another case because some time has passed since the success of their first case and their reputation is going down. A bereaved ex-cop appeals to Nicolaj to solve the murder of his two children. The ex cop kills himself after being refused. Feeling guilty, our two cops begin looking into the case, with all leads initially pointing towards an elite boarding school. Their search for the truth takes them in some unexpected places n a bandaged nose. Nicolaj after being attacked, gets a bandaged nose, a nod to Jack Nicholson's character from Chinatown. The plot may not be new or there may not be enuff mystery but the movie was captivating to hold your interest till the end. It's much more darker, obscene and gruesome than its predecessor. Its more of a crime tale n less of a mystery. Found it to be a lil disappointing because its not in the same league as its predecessor specially when it comes to suspense n tension. This film has lots flashbacks like the first one. Nonetheless it got saved by strong performances by all. Fares gave a very good performance n Nikolaj too gave a nice performance. A decent police procedural crime tale.

Police Detective Carl Mørck (Nikolaj Lie Kaas) stumbles upon an old man nearby the Police Department Building and he asks if Carl had checked the documentation he sent to him. Carl does not give much attention to the man and two hours later the man is found dead after committing suicide in his bathtub. Carl convinces his partner Assad Pilou (Fares Fares) to reopen an old case where the twins of the old man had been murdered and soon Carl and Assad are involved in a network of old crimes where the powerful executives and millionaires Ditlev Pram (Pilou Asbæk) and his friend Ulrik Dybbøl (David Dencik) seem to be responsible for. Now they are chasing Ditlev´s former girlfriend Kimmie (Danica Curcic), who might be the key witness of the cases. But the criminals are hunting her down.

"Fasandræberne", a.k.a. "Department Q: The Absent One". Is another great franchise with a new case of Police Detectives Carl Mørck and Assad Pilou. The structure of the bleak story is similar to the first film with the use of flashbacks. The performances are top-notch again and the screenplay does not use the clichés of a crime film. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): "Departamento Q: O Ausente" ("Department Q: The Absent One")

Note: On 17 July 2021, I saw this film again.

Seeking redemption or solace or anything remotely plain and silent after having done something horrible, is not easy. It even gets worse when the police digs up that past. Which is what happens here and our two main protagonists from the first novel (and especially the movie) are back on duty again.

I haven't read the novels, but I did watch the first movie, which I can highly recommend. This isn't a bad affair either, but I can see people being a bit disappointed after that massive first movie. Still this is not only decent, but a very good crime movie, with twists flying your way every now and then. New leads, chases and guessing who did what and what could happen next. If you let yourself enjoy that ride, you'll be having a good movie experience - just not at the exact same level as the first one delivered

So when I saw the Keeper of Lost Causes, I was very impressed by what a griping Crime Drama it was and when I discovered it was the first in a trilogy, I had to see the others.

The Absent One is the second in the trilogy. Some time after Carl and his partner, Assad made Department Q a name for their first case, they quickly became a joke again due to Carl's focus on solving the cold cases rather than just organizing the place met they have not closed another cold case since. Then a retired sheriff begs Carl to look into the cold case involving the murder of his two children which someone took the blame for. This lead Carl to uncover the dangerous vices of the privilege of high society.

It's as gritty as the first movie, with a case that has slightly more depth and angles to it. This allows us to see the warm heart of Carl without melting the ice, as he gives his all to make right what once went wrong. The detective himself becomes more well rounded with just enough peaks into his personal life (a bonding relationship he has with his ex-wife's son, who he obviously sees as his flesh and blood), to make him human. The movie also introduces a new team member, Rose, the last of a long list of secretaries who don't work well with Carl, but luckily Assad likes her.

This is becoming a fabulous police drama franchise and I can't wait to complete the trilogy.

For a decade a so, the term "Scandinavian crime" has been a sign of quality in the film world, and I have tried to watch them as much as possible - luckily it is no Bollywood... The film in question is the second one in line (after Kvinden i buret) where the detective duet Carl Mørck and Assad have to solve a felony happening over 20 years back, enabling to take a glance at the world of "Danish rich and spoiled". The tension is nicely there (although somewhat less than in the first film), and, in addition to as-usual fine performances by Nikolaj Lie Kaas and Fares Fares as the leading characters, one can follow the talents of Pilou Asbæk and David Dencik who are also versatile character actors (plus Søren Pilmark in a small role).

So, unless you are fond of constant chases, explosions, shootings, etc., this film (with captious title) is a pleasant example of a crime thriller with mystery elements, where human attitudes and relations play the biggest part, and deducing is the main factor in solving crimes.

Straight off the bat, one of thing that I love about this film, is that it's as much of a stand alone movie as the sequel to The Keeper of Lost Causes / Mercy. The two films are connected but they're about two completely separate cases on which only the investigating team remains. It's kind of like what a TV-Show like Sherlock, for example, if Sherlock was a graphic dark thriller.

Much like the first one, Detective Mørck & Assad are the heart of the movie. It's an odd pairing but they're somehow captivating, they keep you focused in the movie despite the less than original plot on this one. You probably already figured out what it's all about by reading the premise but the story works and It has to do with the investigating team. You get attached to them - more so if you've seen the first film - and you want to see this case through.

The sequel to The Keeper of Lost Causes / Mercy is a good film, with a predictable story, but it's intriguing, attention-grabbing, and so uninhibited that this classical, run of the mill, thriller feels very fresh. @wornoutspines

Everything I said in my review of the first film in the series (Keeper of the Lost Causes) applies to this, the second installment. Gritty, dark and disturbing. It is textured and believable with an intense verisimilitude as to not only the environment and behavior of the police but throughout the social strata where the other characters dwell. And, as in the earlier film, this one is as commendable for the attention to fleshing out the damaged creatures committing unspeakable acts as it is to developing the mechanics of the plot, the social themes underlying the series, and the growth (or collapse) of the lead players. And I cannot sing the praises high enough for a thriller, so realistic, that a main character gets struck in the head with a pipe, and rather that soldiering on like a superhero he falls, and then later collapses with a concussion. This series is about human beings; the weak and the strong, the good and the bad, and such simplistic terms like Hero and Evil Villain are neither welcomed nor adhered to.

Last week, a populist, right-wing anti-immigration party won the general elections in Denmark. There's a small hint of the increasing Danish aversion against immigrants in 'The Absent One': when a pr-executive is beaten up by two businessmen, the newspapers' headlines state that he is beaten up by immigrants.

I would have liked more of this in the film. As it is now, 'The Absent One' is a standard crime thriller. There are hardly any connections to the broader society: the script focuses on the crime and nothing else.

At the same time, the excellent script is really the backbone of the movie. It's intelligent, and slowly moves forward with just enough revelations to keep the suspense intact, without the complications or twists that make many crime scripts hard to follow. Also nice are the regular flashbacks to the period of the crime, which is now a cold case, getting renewed attention because of the suicide of a retired policeman.

The problem is that the film doesn't have anything that makes it stand out. It's a good, solid thriller, but nothing more than that. It even inclines to overdoing things, which is a shame in a film like this. The ending, with the policemen miraculously saved from a seemingly hopeless situation, is a cliché. The same goes for the state of mind of the lead character: a workaholic policeman, who has too little attention for his son and has no problem bending the rules in order to get the villains.

The second feature film with cinema release for the Jussi Adler- Olsen novels following "The keeper of lost causes" (originally "Kvinden i buret") is a let down from the first in many ways. The title "The absent one" is again more suitable than the original title Fasandræberne (which is translated Killers of pheasants).

Both the director and the main characters are still there, and the plot is interesting enough, maybe even more interesting in the first film. Still I'm afraid. Still this is bargaining to follow up the "nordic noir" label, which is does quite well. This is the gloomy side of Denmark, or Copenhagen, which is never mentioned anywhere in the film. And there's no landmarks of the Danish capitol visible here, either. Indeep if they are trying to depict Copenhagen. Well, never mind.

The plot: A drunk, later revealed former police chief approaching detective Carl Mørck, not very interested, until the day after when the same man is found after suicide in his bathtub. He starts following the strange case of the mans two teenage children is killed 20 years ago, very close to a posh boarding school for the rich. No more should be revealed here now.

The film manages to get you interested, and is neatly done, like the first which I gave a 7/10 on IMDb. This however grows stale before the first hour has went away. The plot is simply too implausible, at least as shown on the film, implying top connections to most top sides of the Danish society. Many of these threads are not followed up.

The Scandinavian title is also very misleading, hence there's hardly any sign of, and surely no mention of pheasants here. OK, we understand that this is case in the novel, and that they are rich hunters. But still this is way off.

The main character is also not at all helpless, and this annoys you so much in the end, that it ruins the film for me. I guess the novel treats this way better and more plausible, but here is just too far fetched, even for a film with a two hour run.

When it comes to acting, they are all doing a great job, as always in Danish film. That the script here is lacking is a pity, but maybe it was too far much to put into a movie. I guess many scenes ended up on the cutting floor. I admire Nicolaj Arcel for his script writing, but this is far from his best work.

A good start for this "cold-case dramatization) with the first film, is pointing down already. Too bad. Or is it possible to hope for a recovering, if there's a third?

I read the book earlier this week and just watched the movie. I could only recognize about one percent of it! I'll bet none of those who likes this movie has read the book.

A follow up to 'The Keeper of Lost Causes' based on the Danish crime-thriller novel of the same name in the original language. That one was a classy, a brilliant initiation in the 'Department Q' series. One of the best Scandinavian detective movie I have ever seen. I expected same energetic, caliber and suspenseful in this as well. But marginally disappointing, yet it stood and delivered to the previous film's standard.

In this second episode, it was a murder mystery for Carl and Assad to crack it down. They did not choose it, the case did. It was a long pending affair in the department, since then the world has changed a lot. But the father of twins murdered who investigated privately leaves all the required evidence to the Department Q team. Now, where these two deeply dedicated detectives begin, how they dig it and whether they reach the other end of the investigation to uncover everything is the rest of the film.

With a new target in the hands, the Department Q world expands further bigger than the first film. Takes us to the two decades earlier and narrates some of the key events by introducing new characters. So it also creates curiosity about the happenings around and sufficient suspense where it all went wrong. The prediction was not that hard, but without a clear picture of what happened, I simply failed to make a guess as I do always. The story holds everything back, that's a weak point, but very gripping with those thrilling going after scenes.

"I never met anyone as destructive as him."

Too much of flashbacks might be the reason for movie to lose the original appeal. It reduced Carl and Assad's screen-space. It was good for this particular plot to develop the story and characters, but did not help what Department Q theme is known for. That was not at all, certainly it was a good story, I'm not arguing with that, but the presentation was not charming enough and the dearth of fine action sequences was a little setback which was absolutely necessary in the cop themed films.

The movie was shot very well with maintaining the same tone from the first, along great performances by everyone. The difference between Carl and Assad remained, we should say it was maintained as it should be. In any two buddy cop movies, they are always antipodal characteristic. It was like a cliché, but brings the better outcome. These two guys together form a best homicide team in Copenhagen police department. Now the third character introduced in this part, a secretary who loosely hangs around, but out of the league from the perspective of story narration.

Very much a Danish's answer to the Swedish's 'Dragon Tattoo' films. But in a way the two are not a comparable, if you do, then this one lacks in a long way. Because of the type of cop works are different with completely different universe and environment. After the first two films the director has changed for the third film, which is set to hit the screen in 2016. Hoping for 'A Conspiracy of Faith' to do much better than this one, because many more to follow if that succeeds.

7½/10

if you expect another take at a "Girl with a dragon tattoo" kind of movie, you'll be tremendously disappointed. the mystery and mood are gone, you know the ending right after it begins, and the only question that hangs throughout entire film is whether you should keep on watching it.

it's such a cheap rip off I'm amazed Danish folks rushed to the cinemas as they reportedly did. there's nothing really good about this one, acting's very average, main characters aren't very likable and are not developed well, the whole 'who killed them' mystery is solved instantly after showing the main villain - and you'll know it's him because.. well unless it's your first movie ever, you just will.

it's a very, very average movie at best.

The Absent One is a sequel, in the best sense of the word. Everything in the original was multiplied by 2 times. The plot here is much better twisted, suspense is not bad. I advise everyone to watch, there have been fewer such detectives on TV recently.

Mystery thriller from Denmark like there should be more. The movie has everything you need to make a good Film Noir. A well chosen cast with good actors, a story line that doesn't reveal everything at once with intriguing plots, a dark ambiance. Those are the movies that I usually remember because you can remember every detail because you paid attention to the captivating story. Unlike other movies that you forget everything about after a couple days. I didn't know any of the actors and they are probably just known in their country but you really can't fail any of them because they did an excellent job. I already saw a couple really good movies from Denmark and this is one of them.

The detective Carl Mork and his section of unsolved cases return to action in this second entry that adapts to the big screen the second book of the bestselling saga Department Q by the Danish Carl Valdemar, better known as Jussi Adler-Olsen. The script is once again written by the notorious writer and director Nicolaj Arcel, who had already adapted the libretto of the adaptation of the first installment of Milennium and this Departament Q Fasandræberne(2014) is done in a similar Nordic style. Down-on-his-luck inspector, Carl (Nikolaj Lie Kaas) goes on investigating a new unsolved case department. There the detective will see the opportunity to wash her image when a dark case comes into his hands, a retired police who asked him for help and committed suicide, something that Carl did not believe was so clear. In the late 1990s, the murder of two teenagers made the front pages of Danish newspapers, both for its brutality and for the wealthy people who appeared to be involved. Accompanied only by Assad's faithful assistant, they begin the twisted investigation leading to two wealthy magnates (Pilou Asbæk, David Dencik). Thus, chief detective Carl Mørck and Assad's Muslim assistant (Fares Fares) become involved in a cold case related to the mystery of a disappearance. They investigate a cold case involving a missing woman until they discover some incredible clues. Shortly after, a man exposed himself as guilty. But the case has been closed for years. Why are you coming to department Q now?. Nothing is forgotten forever! Based on the best-selling novel of First Department Q !. From the Screenwriter of 'The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo'!. Your last chance at him is the lost causes department!. A missing politician, a reopened case! This film is about the dark side of life. What happens if you can't let go of the past, if it eats you up inside?

In this eerie adventure Carl Orck and his partner Assad begin an investigation that will take them to the three most powerful men in Denmark, in a plot even more complex, more sophisticated and disturbing than the first one, where a spiral of corruption and power will lead the protagonists to use their intelligence to close the case. This is an interesting thriller about two murders that were executed years ago and the two men who want to clarify what really happened, a relentless search that takes them deep into the undercurrent of abuse and malice which hides beneath the polished surface of Scandinavia. This film adapts a successful novel, the second and best-selling book written by Jussi Adler-Olsen, to the big screen. Norgaard does it European way, showing clarity in the cinematographic approach within the story. The film was competently directed by Mikkel Norgaard, who uses a terrifying story as a mirror of our own lives. The expert director guides the audience through the darkest dimensions of story and back to the light, all thanks to camera, sound and music. This police thriller is compellingly directed and has a script by Nikolaj Arcel, who had written the script for the film adaptation of the first installment of Milennium, another of the most important Nordic sagas in history. Well starred by Nikolaj Lie Kaas as the brave and surly police inspector Carl Morck and Fares Fares as the faithful Islamist assistant Assad, the latter lives in Sweden and had to learn Danish for the role of him.

In the words of director Mikkel Norgaard: "This movie is a love story, but not the kind of romance you would like to participate in. It talks about power and the abuse of power, but also about a man's struggle to correct the mistakes of his past and redeem what remains. But, more deeply, it's about how we cope with the terrible events that affect our lives and our ability to move forward or not. It explores our fear, our guilt, our shame and the way to overcome them. This is a film that invites us to travel from a renowned private boarding school to the heart of the ruling class, passing through the most forgotten underbelly of society. This requires a very specific cinematographic style. I want to take the public by the hand and show them the energy and toughness of the youth associated with the wealthy classes. I want to take advantage of the European atmosphere and squeeze it to support a peculiar cinematographic vision that passes through image, sound and music. I want to make this search for hope through the darkest aspects of the human soul as hard and beautiful as it can be¨. As for the technical part, Norgaard explains: "in Denmark, the Dogme 95 movement (a film movement started in 1995 by Lars Von Trier and Thomas Winterberg) has had a great influence on our way of telling history, promoting a realistic expression almost of the documentary style. In this film I want to control the images since they are the most powerful tool to create a cinematic universe¨.

Nikolaj Lie Kaas and Fares Fares signed a four-movie deal, matching the number of Department Q novels written by Carl Valdemar that had been published at the time of filming. The saga is as follows: ¨Kvinden i buret¨ (2013) de Mikkel Nørgaard con Nikolaj Lie Kaas, Fares Fares, Sonja Richter. ¨Fasandreperne¨ ó ¨Pheasant Killers¨ (2014) de Mikkel Norgaard with Nikolaj Lie Kaas, Fares Fares, Pilou Asbæk. ¨Flaskepost fra P¨ (2016) de Hans Petter con Nikolaj Lie Kaas, Fares Fares, Pål Sverre Hagen, Amanda Collin. ¨Diario 64¨(2018) de Christoffer Boe con Nikolaj Lie Kaas, Fares Fares, Johanne Louise Schmidt, Søren Pilmark. Y ¨Marco effekten¨ ó "The marco effect¨ (2021) de Martin Zandvliet con Ulrich Thomsen como Carl Mørck y Zaki Youssef como Assad.