The Scandinavians are a thoughtful people who are good at making films with meaning. Their films raise important social issues and capture the viewer’s attention with realistic stories, unexpected outcomes, and talented cinematography with beautiful northern landscapes. We’ve compiled a list of the best Scandinavian detective and thriller films.
Superposition (2023)
Genre: Drama, Thriller
Cast: Marie Bach Hansen, Mikkel Boe Følsgaard, Mihlo Olsen
Country: Denmark
Rating: IMDb – 6.2
The new Scandinavian film will tell the story of a young family from the capital who dreams of a quiet place to live and create. Stacy and Tate decide to take a bold step and go to the wild forest. The couple shares their adventures on a podcast that is listened to by thousands of people. But one day, the newlyweds encounter strange guests who look like copies of them. What horror lies behind this mirror image?
The Last Client (2022)
Genre: Thriller
Cast: Signe Egholm Olsen, Anton Hjejle, Dan Zahle, Sara Fanta Traore, Anders Mossling
Country: Denmark
Rating: IMDb – 6.3
The new Scandinavian thriller is set in a small Danish town. The inhabitants are horrified by the crimes of a psychopath who cuts out pregnant women’s unborn children without anesthesia. His cruelty knows no bounds and amazes even the psychologist Susanne. The woman learns that one of her phrases was uttered by the killer. During the visit of another client, the doctor realizes that Mark is the butcher.
The Marco Effect (2021)
Genre: Crime, Thriller
Cast: Ulrich Thomsen, Zaki Youssef, Sofie Torp, Anders Matthesen, Lubos Oláh, Lisa Carlehed
Country: Denmark, Germany, Czech Republic
Rating: IMDb – 5.3
The next thriller is a continuation of the popular detective saga based on the novels by Scandinavian writer Jussi Adler-Olsen. The gloomy, experienced inspector Karl Marko takes on a new case. A young immigrant named Marko becomes one of the participants in the mysterious criminal events. The boy is somehow connected to a criminal clan and may have witnessed a murder. However, in order for the child to agree to help the police, it is necessary to first gain his trust.
The Trip (2021)
Genre: Action, Comedy, Horror, Thriller
Cast: Noomi Rapace, Aksel Hennie, Atle Antonsen, Christian Rubeck, André Eriksen, Nils Ole Oftebro
Country: Norway
Rating: IMDb – 6.9
A married couple, filmmaker Lars and his wife Lisa, go on a weekend getaway to a secluded cabin in the woods to mend their relationship. However, they are going to restore family balance in a very peculiar way – they both secretly plan to kill each other. But when a gang of fugitive criminals interferes with the heroes’ plans, a real bloody thrash begins.
Breaking Surface (2020)
Genre: Adventure, Drama, Horror, Thriller
Cast: Moa Gammel, Madeleine Martin, Trine Wiggen, Jitse Jonathan Buitink, Remi Alashkar
Country: Sweden, Norway, Belgium
Rating: IMDb – 6.1
In the darkness. No air and no hope of rescue. This was the situation of the heroine of the Scandinavian thriller, one of the sisters who decided to go winter diving in Norway. After the dive, a rockfall comes down from the rocky shore and traps the girl under the icy water. The second sister has a chance to rescue the prisoner, but time and air supply are limited, and the nearest settlement is kilometers away in the cold desert. What will the heroine of the thriller do?
Horizon Line (2020)
Genre: Action, Adventure, Drama, Horror, Thriller
Cast: Allison Williams, Alexander Dreymon, Keith David, Pearl Mackie, Jumayn Hunter
Country: Sweden, United States
Rating: IMDb – 4.8
The Swedish thriller will delight fans of exciting stories about survival in extreme situations. Jackson and Sarah have been separated for a long time, but are forced to reunite for a while. The former lovers are invited to a wedding by their friends, and the couple flies to the island on an old airplane belonging to their elderly friend. Almost immediately after takeoff, the pilot dies of a heart attack, and Sarah and Jackson do their best not to fall and crash.
Queen of Hearts (2019)
Genre: Drama
Cast: Trine Dyrholm, Gustav Lindh, Magnus Krepper, Liv Esmår Dannemann, Ella Solgaard
Country: Denmark, Sweden
Rating: IMDb – 7.1
Anna is a successful child abuse lawyer, a caring wife and mother. When Gustav, her husband’s son from his first marriage, comes into the family, Anna feels unexpectedly tempted and is the first to take the first step towards a forbidden relationship with her stepson. To bring the events of the thriller closer to reality, Danish director Mai el-Touki conducted research on the origins of family secrets and violence that comes from women.
Quick (2019)
Genre: Crime, Drama, Thriller
Cast: Selma Glasell, Jonas Karlsson, David Dencik, Magnus Roosmann, Alba August, Suzanne Reuter
Country: Sweden, Belgium
Rating: IMDb – 6.7
The Scandinavian novelty of 2019 is a Swedish detective story with thriller elements about Thomas Quick, nicknamed the new Hannibal Lecter. The maniac voluntarily surrendered to the police and confessed to committing 30 murders. No one could understand the reasons for the confession, because most of the cases had no evidence, and some even contradicted the truth. After 20 years, a fair-minded journalist Hannes Rostam decides to prove his innocence. The movie is based on a true story about the most high-profile failure of the Swedish judicial system.
The Tunnel (2019)
Genre: Action, Drama, Thriller
Cast: Thorbjørn Harr, Ylva Fuglerud, Lisa Carlehed, Mikkel Bratt Silset, Peter Førde
Country: Norway
Rating: IMDb – 6.0
On Christmas Eve, thousands of cars enter a 9-kilometer-long tunnel in the snowy mountains of Norway. An unsuccessful maneuver by a fuel truck driver leads to an accident, and the fire quickly spreads through the tunnel, blocking people from leaving. Fear and confusion lead to the first deaths. All hope is for the rescuers who are stuck in the snowstorm. The Norwegian thriller, based on a true story, is a reminder that most tunnels in Scandinavia do not have emergency exits.
Exit Plan (2019)
Genre: Drama, Mystery
Cast: Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Tuva Novotny, Jan Bijvoet, Robert Aramayo, Solbjørg Højfeldt
Country: Denmark, Norway, Germany, France, Sweden
Rating: IMDb – 5.1
The protagonist of the new Scandinavian detective is a terminally ill insurance agent Max Isaksen. Several suicide attempts have failed: Max does not have the courage to leave his beloved wife alone. His work brings him to the mountain hotel “Aurora”, where his client is likely to have disappeared. The contract signed at the entrance states that the staff will help him say goodbye to life. Max realizes that he can’t take his words back.
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