A darkly funny & emotionally riveting slice of Danish delight that's brought to life with the right amount of care, compassion & subversiveness, Riders of Justice makes for an amusing, heartbreaking & thoroughly captivating comedy of errors that balances simple co-incidences with clever orchestrations and is greatly uplifted by its handful of quirky characters who are brilliantly rendered by its fabulous cast.
Written & directed by Anders Thomas Jensen, the premise setup is quick, character introductions are swift and while humour is detectable in the most unlikely of places, the emotional beats do brim with an honesty & depth that shines through. Jensen is sensible in handling the themes of loss, grief, neglect, abuse & sidelined morality in pursuit of vengeance, and has a clear grasp of his characters' inner turmoil.
The story comes packed with hilarious segments no doubt but where it warms the heart most is the way these idiosyncratic folks, all broken in their own ways, come together to help a grieving family bond & become whole again. Mads Mikkelsen is reliable as always but the supporting cast is right up there with him throughout the journey. Everyone chips in with deftly measured inputs & leaves behind nothing to complain about.
Overall, Riders of Justice is humorous, poignant & refreshing in the zaniest of ways and is an action-comedy of heartfelt warmth & surprising intimacy. The chemistry & interplay between the geeks & muscle allows for wholesome entertainment and the finale is cathartic in ways that just fits. To sum it up, this Danish revenge-thriller is a roller-coaster ride that promises plenty of fun, is sincere in its emotions, and has its heart at the right place.
