Nr. 24

This was surprisingly good! Seeing it was coming, I was like "Right, another movie that's only there to one-dimensionally worship a Norwegian war hero, so that we can feel like the good guys."

Well, for one thing, it's kind of hard to avoid with Sønsteby, as the facts show he _was_ a hero in a lot of ways. And yet he gets thoroughly challenged in the present-day part of the narrative. This provides important nuance. The Resistance reportedly killed 82 of their own countrymen. Maybe it's naive to think there was a good (enough) reason in each case.

This movie has at least 3 things going for it: First of all, suspenseful pacing - you're not bored for a second.

Second of all, the lead actors, especially for young Sønsteby. Sjur Vatne Brean. What a talent, and what perfect casting! It's ironic, because Sønsteby survived partly by being inconspicuous and in control of his emotions. However, that wouldn't work on the big screen. Brean is good-looking and charismatic, and an actor can't be stone-faced.

He is still very believable as a man of integrity and authority, while his face shows the toll it all takes on him.

You'd be forgiven for wondering if he ever considered dropping the sixpence - in the movie universe, all the Nazis really had to do was look for the only guy who wears a sixpence all the damn time! Inside and outside, in cafés, offices... In real life it was commonwear; in the movie I don't remember seeing anyone else wearing one!

Again, though, in a movie you have to establish the lead character. The silhouette with the sixpence is iconic. His trademark. If not every Norwegian instantly recognized it before this movie, they will now. And who knows, maybe it will become a symbol of resistance, freedom, and democracy again, in the times we might have ahead.

Third of all, the movie is smartly plotted, with a nice twist that ties back to the beginning, while at the same time touching on the movie's central theme. This sets it apart from the typical biopic or war movie.

It's nice to have someone and something to believe in, especially in our uneasy times. This movie reminded me of that. And the hero doesn't need to be perfect for that, just believable in his qualities.

Another in a long line of movies about Resistance groups, and yes even Nazis have wives and children who love them, but the question posed by the young student has an easy answer: go talk to somebody who experienced the holocaust from the inside. Sadly the folks who need to see this movie, and ask themselves these questions, won't. The French, Norwegians, Danes, and Low Country citizens were entirely justified in their judgements and actions-and yes, so were the Russians. The real issue confronting the students, and the viewers of this movie, is: what side are you on, and what are you going to do if confronted by the kind of crisis that overwhelmed poor Norway? There's plenty of evidence that there were indeed many captive occupied people, and many "good Germans," who chose to keep their heads down. Fortunately, there are always a few of extraordinary courage and moral certainty. We just have to hope they're around when you need them.

Nice movie with a flair of documentary. >90% of the content is a movie but a minority of the time there is a very nice interplay with the real man who is represented in the movie. It makes it very very personal and you see the seriousness of war and having been in the Norwegian resistance. It is very nicely written up and the story is solid and filmography is good. The only thing I missed is how the person went to London from occupied Norway. That has been left out at one of the most exiting part of the movie. It left the story a bit incomplete although it would not have added anything to the messsge of freedom which seemed to be paramount to the makers of the movie.

I have seen countless World War II-focused films. Let's just say, I watch virtually anything and everything that is released that features World War II stories.

So I would say that Number 24 is not your standard Second World War film. In stumbling upon this picture on Netflix, I never anticipated that I would come away feeling that Number 24 was one of the most compelling World War II films I have ever seen.

Number 24 brilliantly presents the most challenging of moral dilemmas that so often face combatants in war, especially a war as horrific as World War II.

For those who appreciate World War II films, I offer Number 24 my highest recommendation.

Bravo.

"Number 24" is a deeply moving Norwegian film that dives into a war-torn environment, where notions of resistance, freedom, and the sacred duty of liberation clash with the equally profound values of friendship and the ultimate sanctity of human life. It's a story that doesn't offer easy answers but instead asks us to sit with the complexities of human choices in impossible situations.

The audience is drawn into a delicate and artful struggle of emotions, questioning the very nature of what is right and wrong. This subjectivity feels especially raw in the chaos of war, where morality becomes fluid and every decision carries immense weight.

With breathtaking performances and stunning cinematography, the film portrays the harshness of its setting while highlighting the fragile beauty of human connection. It's a story that stays with you, making you reflect on what truly matters when ideals and lives are on the line.

A must-watch for anyone who appreciates emotionally charged storytelling that challenges the mind and touches the heart.