Ronja, la hija del bandolero

As a youth I loved Astrid Lindgren novels, including Emil from Lönneberg, Pippi Longstocking and, of cause, Ronja the Robber's Daughter. One of the first adaptations of the story I watched was the 1984 movie version and later the Danish stage musical adaptation. So when I saw that there would be a new interpretation of the story, I was kinda hopeful.

However, the end result was NOT what I expected or wanted!

Don't get me wrong, it's not that the entire Netflix series is just horrible, as it has some elements I kinda liked, such as some of the characters, the setting and the new interpretation of the fantastical creatures. However, they've added so much unnecessary subplot about a village and its corrupt magistrate that I always zoned out whenever we got to a point that wasn't part of Lindgren's original story.

Like most Swedes, I have a special love for Astrid Lindgren's iconic coming of age tale set in a medieval Scandinavia that is both idyllic and cruel. In a place where unlikely friends are made and strange creatures can be found, this series is sure to be loved by many.

Although a modern take in technical aspects, it's not just a green screen production. Much is shot on location, displaying real landscapes with footage of some wild animals adding a nice touch to the world building. And even when cgi is used it looks good. Most creatures though are almost entirely practical, some designs being the best versions I've seen. Moments of humor also makes the cut, and I love how the show doesn't change how scary some scenes should be. For kids, the dark moments could even be the most intriguing aspect. At least it was for me.

However, a comparison to the 1984 film is inevitable. There's a raw passion there which is simply not found in the 2024 show. Ronja and Mattis, are played by great actors here who do the parts justice. But other characters are not given the depth they deserve. Instead, the writing makes room for completely new character's that don't anything to the story other than runtime. And on top of that, the dialogue can be stiff and feel somewhat unnatural.

Overall though, I really enjoyed this show for the most part. It is well worth a watch if you're the slightest interested in the story. And if you have kids, it's almost a must watch. I'm looking forward to seeing what they'll do with the rest of Astrid Lindgren's tale!

/Anton.

The starting scene had me excited for what to come but unfortunately it didn't follow up the way I'd hope!

It feels like the series is put together with strange acting, weird scenes and general misunderstanding. Is the series for adults or children? I don't know.

Always loved Ronja as a child and was super ready since I saw that Netflix was going to make it into a series. But feels like a bit of a flop for me.

The actors are on completely different levels, seems like they don't act on the same page, the scenes are a bit slow, the costumes feel stressed and mostly look like something that was found in a hurry.

Maybe they didn't have the highest budget for this, but then I would rather skip making a remake if this would be the outcome.

I really like the idea of a remake but I couldn't watch more than 3 episodes.. Although big ups to Mattis, Lovis, Birk and Ronja that for me, were on the same page and acted the way I'd hope. Honorable mention also to the big birds, they had me shivering!

I'm not Swedish, I'd never heard of the stories and have never seen any of its previous adaptations. I simply gave Ronja a try on the strength of the trailer which the Netflix algorithm saw fit to show me.

Looking at some of the other reviews here, I'm glad of the above because coming into this completely fresh, I was able to appreciate the show without bias or preconception. The truth is, in contrast to Netflix's usual catalogue of bilge, this is a charming and entertaining show.

A beautiful coming of age story set amongst a gorgeous, but deadly (and often unsettlingly grotesque) sylvanian landscape, Ronja is well-acted and engaging enough for the viewer to feel suitably immersed. The jeopardy feels real enough, and as is often the case with folk-tales, there are numerous lessons to be learned along the way.

Adaptations of niche stories like this tend to attract criticism from people who view it as some sort of sacred cow, never to be touched unless you're able to achieve perfection. For the rest of us, this is well worth a watch.

At first glance the remake had me hopeful, the more the show went on had me wondering if any of the actors are on the same page and what's even the point with this show.

I miss the songs, the characteristics from that age, the raw conversations and much more.. why mix so many dialects, deep and bright voices and how loud they speak in almost every switch of actor. It feels way off and very childish at some points.

They could've done so much more to capture the raw and chilly vibe, now it almost feels like a theater where they put different actors with totally different skill set, did one take and where satisfied with that.

I pictured what could've been a great show, but this one falls short for me.