Department Q: The Absent One

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.

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.

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

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.

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.