Alex

This is like the wire like snabba cash, real scandinavian gang crime story!

This six part Swedish drama is centred on Alex Leko. He and his partner, Martin, have been in the pocket of crime boss BG for some time but after Alex accidentally shoots and kills Martin he wants out. BG refuses though; Martin was meant to be identifying the police mole in his organisation now he expects Alex to do it. Refusal could be very dangerous for him and his family. Alex is already suspected by his boss who gives him a new partner, Frida Kanto, who is tasked with digging up dirt on Alex.

This was a solid series with lots of tense moments, as well as quite a few shocks. It is pretty short so doesn't outstay its welcome thankfully it doesn't feel rushed either. Dragomir Mrsic impresses as Alex; he has a good brooding presence. Rakel Wärmländer also does as solid job as Frida. I was a little concerned that their characters' past relationship would lead to clichés but for the most part this is avoided. Anna Bjelkerud impresses as Alex's boss Ragnhild Björkfors; the supporting cast are pretty good too. As the end approaches there are some good twists; some may feel them a little melodramatic but at the time things are pretty exciting so it didn't bother me. Overall I'd recommend this to fans of Scandinavian drama looking for something a little grittier.

These comments are based on watching the series in Swedish with English subtitles.

I am a devoted fan of Scandinavian crime fiction and I try to stay in touch with the latest novels, movies and television series of the genre, something rather hard as the productions are numerous, some of them mediocre and some great. ''Alex'' definitely belongs to the second category and I think that, along with ''Innan Vi Dor'' (2017), is the best that the Nordic Noir genre has to offer in the last two years. The story is set in Gothenburg and revolves around Alex Leko, a hard-boiled, corrupt cop who finds himself in an ugly mess after he accidentally shoots his colleague and close friend, Martin. Alex's situation soon becomes even worse when he clashes with a prime thug nicknamed BG and his son is kidnapped. The protagonist will have to take the matter in his own hands and find his son in a race against odds and time. The plot moves forward at a frenetic pace and the tension rises in each episode leading to the climax of the last two episodes. The twists are plausible and satisfying, especially the big one in the ending of episode 5, while the charged relationships between the main characters provide many great dialogue scenes. Special mention should go to the two directors of the series, Manuel Concha and Alain Darborg who certainly know how to use the camera in order to successfully depict the protagonist's anguish, anger and despair which will result in extreme acts of brutality on his part. The action and fighting sequences are exemplary, as the viewer can literally feel the tension of the situation. Dragomir Mrcic is a Yugoslavian ex-con, who did 3 and a half years in prison for his involvement in a bank robbery. He became famous for his portrayal of Mrado on Daniel Espinosa's ''Snabba Cash'', a film based on the titular novel by Jens Lapidus. The roles of Mrado and Alex are quite similar and Mrsic nails the role, being constantly enraged and on the edge, using his fists and martial arts knowledge in his interactions with the others. The rest of the cast is also good, with Anja Lundqvist being compelling in her role as Kim, Alex's spouse. Malin Arvidsson, known for her role as Kerstin Holm in the ''Arne Dahl'' series, also has a small part as Martin's wife, Sheila. Overall, I was more than satisfied by ''Alex'' and I recommend it without any reservation to all crime fiction fans.

Within the first few frames of the movie, the main plot is revealed, and it's as old as the hills. I won't talk about it or my review will be classed as containing a 'spoiler'. The acting is quite good and the sets and scenery is as well. The casting was, for the most part at least, reasonably good but the writing.....it's SO predictable that almost every crisis-point is telegraphed ahead and ANYTHING that might later be a clue is shamelessly fore-shadowed so clearly that even a neophyte can recognize them. The direction the 'plot' takes is so simple and singularly focused that events that would be UN-included in a serious series, are included and presented as casually as if it were a cartoon. The first episode was not terrible but from then on it becomes increasingly predictable and at the same time implausible. I was SERIOUSLY disappointed but then again.....why did I expect more Don't waste your time on this VERY THIN 'you'll get what's coming to you" police drama...it's not worth it.

If you like this kind of tense thrillers, with blood now and then, don't miss it! The burocracy of the police goes too far...! The rich politicians are often only thinking on living well , big house, expensive cars, ... etc... with their gold credit card, but they don't do enough to catch the real baddd guysss. That is the whole point of this series! Loved it! Amazed by the low rating and bad reviews!