An excellent mystery series. (Wallander)

Member Name: doctordarke2389

Product:	Wallander
Date:	10/08/09 (11 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Culturally different, which makes a pleasant change

Disadvantages: Not a lot of sunshine

I have attempted to watch the original Swedish version of Wallander, but unfortunately either something is lost in sub titled translation, or the scene has moved on by the time I've skimmed through and assimilated the sub text.

The English language version with Kenneth Branagh is, however, much more to my taste. I found his treatment of an essentially Scandinavian mindset refreshing and innovative. Branagh, not always my favourite actor due to his occasionally idiosyncratic approach to characterization, does full justice to the persona of Kurt Wallander I feel, and explores the depths of a tortured and embittered soul with pathos and feeling. Having run the gamut of British and often risibly erstaz American whodunnit mystery copies, Henning Mankell's detective stories have created a character who in some ways makes Columbo appear to be the acme of sartorial elegance. Wallander isn't so much rumpled, as crushed, mashed and cubed and ready for the dustbin of life. Wallander works in a bleak monochrome wasteland on the coast of southern Sweden, a defeated, seemingly post-armageddon theme park that, in comparison, elevates Morecambe to the status of Las Vegas, if that isn't being too disrespectful to the Lancashire seaside resort. I think that the only colour in Wallander is the bit where that girl engages in a spot of self-immolation in the field of bright yellow rapeseed crops. Not as uplifting as one might imagine, then.

The stories are really quite outstanding, too. Intricate and novel plots that challenge our perception of where the tale may be taking us, with original plots (if that's possible) and intriguing characters popping up.

I also thought that the strong supporting cast added to the overall strengths of this series, notably the always excellent and much-travelled David Warner as Wallander's haunted and bitter father, and Sarah Smart as funky sidekick.

On balance, Wallander is a bleak, dystopian excursion through the murkier side of swedish society, and there's not a single mention of Abba or Bjorn Borg to be had. Lovely.

Summary: Good, all-round, absorbing entertainment