Mýrin (2006)

User Rating:

7.2/10   

Director:

Baltasar Kormákur

Writers:

Arnaldur Indriðason (novel)
Baltasar Kormákur (screenplay)

Release Date:

20 October 2006 (Iceland)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Thriller

Plot:

A murder opens up a bleak trail of long buried secrets and small town corruption for a worn out police detective and his squad.

Plot Keywords:

Iceland | Murder | Based On Novel

Awards:

6 wins

Cast

Ingvar Eggert Sigurðsson	...	Erlendur (as Ingvar E. Sigurðsson)
Ágústa Eva Erlendsdóttir	...	Eva Lind
Björn Hlynur Haraldsson	...	Sigurður Óli
Ólafía Hrönn Jónsdóttir	...	Elínborg
Atli Rafn Sigurðsson	...	Örn
Kristbjörg Kjeld	...	Katrín
Þorsteinn Gunnarsson	...	Holberg
Theódór Júlíusson	...	Elliði
Þórunn Magnea Magnúsdóttir	...	Elín
Guðmunda Elíasdóttir	...	Theodóra
Walter Grímsson	...	Handrukkarar
Sveinn Olafur Gunnarsson		(as Sveinn Ólafur Gunnarsson)
Magnús Ragnarsson	...	Lögfræðingur
Rafnhildur Rósa Atladótir	...	Kola
Jón Sigurbjörnsson	...	Albert

Also Known As:

Jar City (International: English title) (USA) (new title)
Tote aus Nordermoor, Der (Germany)

Runtime:

93 min

Country:

Iceland | Germany | Denmark

Language:

Icelandic

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Finland:K-15 | UK:15 (2008) | Ireland:16

Filming Locations:

Hvalsnes, Reykjanes, Iceland

Company:

Bavaria Pictures

Trivia:

The little town in Keflavík is Hvalsnes.

Movie Connections:

Remade as Untitled Jar City Remake (2010)

one of TIFF 2007's best

Baltasar Kormákur was there to answer questions at the first screening of this excellent film at the Toronto International Film Festival in September 2007. He did a terrific job, both of directing the film and of untangling some of the details for us after the screening.

This was a film that we picked up at the last minute, to see on the first day of the festival. We went in with absolutely no expectations and were thrilled to find one of the best films of the festival laid out before us.

Everything about this film was outstanding: casting, sets and locations, acting, directing, and the subtitling was unobtrusive but effective. It has a wonderful black humour to it in spots, too. No wonder Iceland has chosen this film as its Oscar contender.

I know I'll see this film again! Not only that, but I've ordered all of the books in the series by Arnaldur Idridason that I could find in translation, because I found his story so compelling and want to read the further adventures of Detective Erlendur. I sincerely hope Kormákur directs more of them.