IN ORDER OF DISAPPEARANCE is an unexpectedly delightful, albeit rather dark, action-thriller that pushes the boundaries of the black comedy genre. With crisp performances from quite an impressive cast and a visually stimulating style, the film is a must see for arthouse action fanatics.

Nils Dickman (Stellan Skarsgård) has just been voted ‘Citizen of the Year’ in his sleepy Norwegian town for the snowploughing services he provides. But when his son is found dead of a suspected overdose, Nils isn’t convinced. Beginning his own investigation, he is thrown into a cocaine-induced, gun-toting feud between a Norwegian firm led by ‘The Count’ (Pål Sverre Valheim Hagen) and their Serbian competitors.

“Its over-the-top death sequences act as pseudo-Tarantino punchlines, trapping us between two very different emotional responses…”

In his quest for revenge, Nils brutally kills members of The Count’s syndicate one by one, dumping the bodies over a waterfall after he’s finished. Each death in the narrative is marked by a cinematic ‘tombstone’ that helps sketch the ridiculous amount of carnage this film shows, which in truth, can be a bit too much at times.
On the other hand, much of this film’s comedy stems from its over-the-top death sequences that act as pseudo-Tarantino punchlines, trapping us between two very different emotional responses. The fight between Nils and Strike (Kristofer Hivju, who plays Tormund Giantsbane in the hit TV show GAME OF THRONES), is arguably the best moment of the film. Exhausted and bloodied, the pair break into a fit of giggles as they lie next to each other, presumably saving energy for the next blow. Indeed, this single shot is indicative of Hans Petter Moland’s style throughout this piece, and there is something daring – perhaps unrelentingly refreshing – about the way he approaches such action sequences.

The director is well known for his ongoing collaborations and friendship with star Stellan Skarsgård, after previously working together on ZERO KELVIN, ABERDEEN and A SOMEWHAT GENTLE MAN. In this film, it can’t be denied that Skarsgård steals the show, portraying a grieving father who snaps into a rampant middle-life crisis so that he can salvage some sort of vengeance. Then again, Hagen makes a deliciously strange villain, hovering between the barbaric crime lord and the psychotic metrosexual who gets a bit cranky if his vegan diet requirements aren’t met. His relationship with his son parallels beautifully with Nils’ character arc, as does the bond he develops with Papa (Bruno Ganz), the Serbian boss who seeks his own revenge against The Count for the death of his son.

“It brings an odd sense of frivolity to what otherwise would be a gloomy and gritty cinematic landscape…”

As a result, IN ORDER OF DISAPPEARANCE is really about fathers honouring their sons. Perhaps echoing a reversal of Hamlet, Nils descends into a self-perpetuated state of madness in order to avenge his son’s death. Along the way, the audience is treated to an array of stylistic imagery that helps pinpoint this state of isolation. This is perhaps best exemplified by the numerous establishing shots of a mysterious city bracing itself against the blistering cold of a Norwegian winter. Yet in all honesty, IN ORDER OF DISAPPEARANCE succeeds most in its attempt to entertain, bringing an odd sense of frivolity to what otherwise would be a gloomy and gritty cinematic landscape. Consequently, nervous laughter is plentiful, and with time, this film may eventually become a cult classic within the European indie scene.

httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G0tMPcv3a3I