Reykjavík Rotterdam (Óskar Jónasson, 2008)

Kristófer is a former alcohol smuggler fighting a losing battle to keep his young family above water, and thereby having to resort to another scam, in another downbeat Nordic crime drama.
By now, the cumulative effect of so many iterations of the 'it's grim up North' theme can only be detrimental to audience expectations of eventual outcomes, quite besides its impact on tourism. This is a shame, as Reykjavík Rotterdam is a serviceable thriller in its own right, with a few wryly comic touches, a novel setting and some neat twists arriving in quick succession that mostly gain conceptual indulgence rather than disappointing. Above all, the decision to avoid moralising is a blessed relief. What isn't, though, is the decision of the film's star, one-man Icelandic film industry Baltasar Kormákur, to subsequently remake it as the Mark Wahlberg vehicle Contraband.

6/10