Wallander Details

Dark cop in a grey landscape

A great series, so different from the usual detective yarns. It was these difference that made it stand out from the oh-so-plentiful cop fare. The main difference was that it seemed that is was Branagh's troubled detective that was the focus of these stories, not the crimes he was solving. His lonely personal life and his difficult relationship with his daughter, and his aging parents in many series would be the obstacle to be pushed aside at the important points in his work (ie the crime to be solved), but here they take centre stage. Branagh's performance was poignant, and the grey landscapes through which he moved were beautifully filmed. On the downside, other characters and performances were much less memorable (probably only by comparison with Branagh, so an inevitably unfavourable comparison since his character Wallander does give the series its name and takes centre stage at all times). Another thing some may not enjoy, it all felt rather grim. Not one if you like high-octane adventure, but thoughtful and engrossing.

[Highly rated reviewer]

wallander review

really good, low key but completely absorbing films.