Nordic noir, also known as Scandi noir, is a crime fiction genre consisting of stories set in Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Sweden, Norway, and Iceland). The tales tend to be dark in tone and feature law enforcement officers in major or minor roles. Swedish author Henning Mankell — known as “the father of Nordic noir” — is often credited for birthing the genre, though Maj Sjöwall and Per Wahlöö, known for theMartin Beckseries of novels, are also recognized as pioneers.
Today, there are dozens of Nordic noir books. This has influenced European filmmakers to lean more towards adapting some of these works than creating original stories. There are, therefore, a fewbook-to-film adaptations worth checking out, each of them maintaining the source material’s resonance, but how do they rank against each other? While all of them are recommendable, some are superior, thanks to wonderful performances by the cast, superior production values, and captivating plots.
Here are the 10 best Nordic noir films based on books, ranked.
10The Snowman (2017)
The Snowman
InThe Snowman,there is a serial killer who makes an effort to construct a snowman in each of his murder scenes. While it sounds like a time-consuming endeavor, considering that most murderers prefer to flee as quickly as possible, this is no ordinary criminal. On his trail is Detective Harry Hole (Michael Fassbender) from author Jo Nesbø’s popular crime novels (the seventh installment inspires the movie’s plot). Even though the lawman is a struggling alcoholic, he tries to keep a clear head this time as he follows the crumbs of evidence.
Well-Written Characters, and a Strong Cast
The Snowman’s plot feels a little overdone at times, and it’s easy to see the obvious attempt to bait film award organizers, but audiences will appreciate how well the characters are written. Local tycoon Arve Støp (J.K. Simmons), for example, has a habit of taking pictures of every woman he meets. No one questions his behavior because he is the person trying to secure Oslo’s bid for the prestigious Winter Sports World Cup.
Later on, dark secrets about him emerge. There is also Detective Gert Rafto (Val Kilmer), who is great at giving murder reviews and critiquing the Snowman for his poor attempts at trying to look artistic. Overall, the mystery plays out nicely, leaving Nordic noir fans thrilled.Stream on Netflix
9The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared (2013)
Based on Jonas Jonasson’s novel of the same name,The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappearedfollows the reclusive Allan Karlsson (Robert Gustafsson), who is forcefully sent to a retirement home after blowing up the fox that killed his cat. There, he makes a quick escape, and while he is on the run, he accidentally comes into the possession of a suitcase belonging to organized crime members. Consequently, he finds himself being hunted by both criminals and the police,
A European Version of Forrest Gump
The movie lacks the investigative flair that Nordic noir projects are known for, but it makes up for that by packing in endless adventures.Forrest Gump’s wild experiencesserve as inspiration here, so fans are treated to surprise flashback scenes that alter history.
Allan is revealed to have helped Robert J. Oppenheimer make the atomic bomb, fought against Francisco Franco’s oppressive regime, and partied with Joseph Stalin during his younger years. The appearance of all these figures comes off as believable, thanks to the brilliant makeup and hairstyling team. It’s, therefore, not surprising that the movie ended up getting nominated for an Oscar in that particular department.Stream on Hoopla
8The Hypnotist (2012)
The Hypnotistplucks the events out of Lars Kepler’s eponymous best-selling novel and lays them out carefully on the screen in the form of a brooding mystery. In the opening minutes, audiences are introduced to a murder scene: a woman and her two children lie dead. The only survivor is her son, who is now in a comatose state. In a nearby gym, her husband is also found murdered. Left with no other choice, Detective Joona Linna (Tobias Zilliacus) contacts the hypnotist, Erik (Mikael Persbrandt), to help him extract information from the surviving son.
Mind-Blowing Cinematography, and a Wild Twist
The adaptation is plagued by common crime genre cliches. Some minor story strands are also left hanging, but the cinematography provides adequate compensation. The film stays true to its genre by brilliantly using a muted color scheme. The night scenes have enough lighting while the day scenes are all misty and greyish, reminding everyone that there is nothing to smile about here.
Apart from that, those who haven’t read the book will find the twist to be pleasant and clever. The culprit turns out to be the person no one suspected, and their motivations are even more bizarre.Stream on Netflix
Related:10 Classic Film Noir Movies That Everyone Needs to Watch At Least Once
7The Keeper of Lost Causes (2013)
The Keeper of Lost Causesis the first installment in theDepartment Qfilm series, based on Jussi Adler-Olsen’s books. In it, Detective Carl Mørck (Nikolaj Lie Kaas) gets demoted to the boring cold case department (Department Q) after a failed raid. Eager to redeem himself, he begins investigating the alleged suicide of a fast-rising politician. The higher-ups order him to drop it, but he pursues it anyway, eventually making shocking discoveries.
Fun Banter and Well-Choreographed Action Scenes
Nordic noir movies are normally light on action and heavy on dialogue, butThe Keeper of Lost Causesoffers both. There is plenty of fun banter, especially between the law endorsement. This helps dilute the general gloomy atmosphere, hence making the saga palatable.
“I hope you won’t be the one investigating my murder if I ever get killed,” an officer once tells Mørck, suggesting that he always gets the wrong clues. The movie also makes good use ofthe buddy cop format, with the protagonist getting paired with another officer who is happier doing the desk duties than him.Stream on AMC+
6Headhunters (2011)
Yet another gem based on Jo Nesbø’s literary masterpieces.Headhuntersrevolves around Norway’s most sought-after business head-hunter, Roger Brown (Aksel Hennie). Roger’s side gig involves swapping real paintings with counterfeit ones, but while trying to benefit from his latest target, he realizes he might have bitten off more than he can chew. Roger learns that his intended victim is not only ex-special forces, but he is also having an affair with his wife.
Twisty, and Fast Paced
Headhunters’awesomeness has been acknowledged by many. It won a Saturn Award for Best International Film as well as Best Picture at the Amanda Awards (Norway’s version of the Oscars). Its strength lies in the twists, which keep coming thick and fast. And as is always the case formovies with ex-military characters, there is plenty of action.
Here, the police are relegated to a supporting capacity, so viewers who find endless investigations to be boring would be best advised to settle for this particular film among others on the list.Stream on Paramount+ or Tubi TV
5The Absent One (2014)
The Absent Oneis also based on theDepartment Qseries of novels. This time, the officers investigate the brutal murders of twins in 1994. The revelation that one of the twins was raped gives the lawmen the zeal to dig even deeper to establish what might have happened in the cold case. Meanwhile, the emergence of other departments threatens to end Department Q’s glory days.
A Clue-Heavy Plot
The sequel had the highest-grossing opening weekend in Denmark’s film history when it was first released. Given how good it is, word of mouth presumably spread out. Once again, the main characters try to sprinkle some fun into the murder and mayhem by joking around. For example, when one officer asks another what the name of a feline he is carrying is, he responds with, “Cat.”
This time, fans are also invited to be a part of the investigation, with the Nordic noir film dropping plenty of clues along the way. Not to forget the endless stunning views of mansions, trees, and roads.Stream on AMC+
4The Man on the Roof (1976)
Based on the 1971 bestseller,The Abominable Man, by Per Wahlöö, and Maj Sjöwall,The Man on the Roofdelivers exactly what’s in the title. Because he has keener eyes and ears than everyone else, veteran Swedish detective Martin Beck (Carl-Gustaf Lindstedt) is brought in to find out who killed a fellow officer. As he is singling out suspects and witnesses, a snipe shows up on a roof in Stockholm and begins targeting every uniformed officer.
Esprit de Corps, Police Brutality, and a Dirty Harry Homage
The Man on the Roofsheds some light on the inner workings of law enforcement, notably theesprit de corps(loyalty to one another) code that officers abide by. It’s revealed that the murdered officer was a perpetrator of police brutality, often harassing civilians and beating them up. Everyone in the department knew this, but they chose to look the other way because he was one of their own. It’s implied that it’s because of this code that police brutality never ends.
Away from that, the shooter-on-the-roof plot is a pleasant homage toDon Siegel’sDirty Harry,which came out a few years earlier. Still, this film manages to walk its path by packing in more tension and introducing a plethora of strong cameo characters.Stream on Plex
3The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2009)
David Fincher’s adaptationof The Girl with the Dragon Tattoois more popular, thanks to the presence of stars like Daniel Craig and Robin Wright, but the Nordic noir movie that came two years before it, starring Noomi Rapace, is arguably better. Based on Stieg Larsson’s first book in theMillenniumseries, the crime thriller centers around a Swedish tycoon’s efforts to find out who took his niece 40 years ago. He believes a family member is responsible, so he brings an investigative journalist and a hacker to probe the matter.
A Strong Condemnation of Sexual Assault
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoois primarily a movie meant to condemn sexual assault, and it serves its purpose well. At the beginning of the second act, it’s disclosed that the hacker, Lisbeth, was being sexually assaulted by her guardian, so she had to flee, but not before beating him up and tattooing, “I am a sadistic pig and a rapist,” on his body.
Her revenge story is worth cheering, and as she embarks on the investigations, one cannot help but cross their fingers, waiting to see what she will come up with. It later emerges that things aren’t what they seem regarding the disappearing case and another sexual assault saga lies beneath all the proceedings.Stream on Fubo TV
2A Conspiracy of Faith (2016)
Based on a crime novelby Jussi Adler-Olsen.A Conspiracy of Faithfollows detectives as they investigate the disappearance of children from different religious communities across Denmark. The lawmen spring into action after coming across a mysterious message in a bottle that was written using blood. Could there be cult or hoodoo reasons behind the unreported kidnappings? That’s something viewers have to wait a while to find out.
The Evilest Nordic Noir Villain
If aCriminal Mindsvillain was given extra time and lines of dialogue, you would get Johannes (Pal Sverre Hagen). He is the kind who is bold enough to kidnap a police officer and goes on to taunt him by threatening to drown someone else before his eyes. Johannes is extremely sadistic, but he sees it all as fun and games.
To him, it’s the good people who are delusional. He figures that in an ideal world, everyone ought to be a lot more like him. Besides that, there are tense action sequences featuring all the essential modes of transport: cars, trains, and helicopters.Stream on AMC+
Related:20 Mind-Blowing International Movies To Add To Your Watch List
1Jar City (2006)
Arnaldur Indriðason’sMýrinwon the Glass Key Award for Scandinavian Crime Fiction, and it wasn’t long before it was adapted into the movie,Jar City.Events kick off when the body of a man suffering from neurofibromatosis (a rare disease among Nordic people) is discovered in a recently dug grave. The lawman, Erlendur (Ingvar E. Sigurðsson), is assigned the case and soon discovers that the incident is related to a rape that occurred 30 years earlier.
Atmospheric Views of the Icelandic Scenery
“It’s typical Icelandic murder: messy and pointless,” says one detective to Erlendur as soon as he takes on the case. The statement highlights the film’s somberness, and from there, many more sad or stressful things happen. Whether it’s Erlendur’s drug-addicted daughter trying to extort money from him or the discovery of shocking evidence, multiple things remind audiences about everything that is wrong with society. However, the adaptation excels the most through its cinematography, which balances the dull winter scenes with the greenery.Rent on Apple TV
