Storm (2005) Reviews

• Something new in Swedish cinema

  jonwa-12005-11-17

  I just got home from the world premiere of this movie, and this is the first time I have seen a Swedish action movie with sci-fi elements that does not come off as quaint or just outright bad. This is a very smart movie that, while all you see is not fully explained, the right things are, and it manages to weave different parts of the story together quite nicely. There is realism and depth (and pain!) in the psychological side of the movie, and I particularly like how the characters evolve over time - the storytelling technique works very well. I also like Jonas Karlsson's acting - his character could easily have become cliché or cheesy (there is something with Swedish that just isn't as cool as English, when doing this type of movie), but he avoids these traps and pulls it off with class. In general the acting, in its genre, is better than most Swedish movies that try to be this cool. Because Storm is cool. I heard this movie being put forward as a "Swedish Matrix", and while the two movies differ quite a lot, and the Matrix obviously had a much bigger budget, the comparison is not completely unwarranted since they both tell parallel stories in clever ways and play with our perception of what a normal life is. Storm tells its tale on a much more personal scale, and it does it excellently.

• Very surprising and versatile, as well as enjoyable

  Charlie_Barbarossa2006-01-26

  The movie opens with a Matrix-style fighting scene which makes me fear that this is yet another Swedish action movie that tries to do more than its budget allows. But after that follows a few quite humorous scenes in which we are introduced to DD - a twenty-something guy who lives a bachelor life in a dark dystopian Stockholm and is content with that; until some very strange people come around, and everything that happens seems to be about him in some way. At first, the viewer is tempted to try and figure out what is dream and what is reality. But you just have to stop trying. The entire movie is surreal. It turns into a twisted mind game in which DD is the involuntary player and Eva Röse and Jonas Karlsson plays characters that try to guide him in different directions, where Lova (Röse) is apparent as the good one, even though everything gets very confusing. In a few sequences, the two are even shown as characters from computer games and comic books. DD ends up in the small town of Vänersborg where he grew up, and in the desolate fog-shrouded surroundings he is forced to face teenage memories in a couple of very unpleasant scenes. This is one of the most unpredictable movies I've ever seen. There is just no way of telling where the story is going, except for the fact that DD must open the mysterious metal box he's been given. The cinematography reminds me very much of The Matrix trilogy, but the directors have experimented a lot and that makes the movie very enjoyable from an aesthetic point of view. Other sources of inspiration seems to have been "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" and "The Game". Anyway, the mix of ideas works into a very strange film in which the directors have made the very most of their budget (except for a few times when they use some really old horror-movie effects). The crazy sci-fi-thriller-action-drama-horror-circus leads on to a very touching finale in which some of the many loose ends are tied up. I liked this movie a lot. And even though it's far from perfect, it is a very fresh new creation in Swedish film when it certainly is needed.

• Not what you expect

  sapphire_dragon-12010-02-06

  From the plot outline I read I was expecting one of those save the world sci-fi films but instead what to me this film seemed to be about was a sort of tug of war for by the angel and demons for the soul of DD. It seemed to me the character Lova was meant to be an angel sent to get DD to remember his sins, repent and become a better person where as "man in suit" (we never get his name and that is literally his credit) is the Devil, trying to keep DD in his sinful ways so that his soul will end up in Hell. I don't think anyone else got this impression but there were things in the film like when Lova says she is sensitive to fire, that made me think she was an angel and the other guy the devil. But if you're reading this and thinking that sounds cheesy and lovey dovey (because lets face it the US versions of these types of movies are) then don't worry, it's dark and gritty and doesn't shy away form the hard stuff to a point where you question whether you should feel sorry for this character. And there's no Bible bashing (except for the scene where a Jesus of Latter Saints guy asks the Devil if he wants to be saved by Jesus). And though the ending might make some people think "but I want to know more" I found myself rather satisfied with the ending. Over all I liked this film, it was a refreshing, if not violent take on Angels vs Devil themed films.

• Psychologically emotional drama, cleverly disguised as fantasy/sci-fi.

  ozjeppe2006-03-04

  Stockholm urban loner "DD" finds his semi-yuppiesh existence in a tug-of-war between other-dimensional individuals — both good and bad. A Nordic "The Matrix" light? Not quite; the sci-fi hype or the "world is at stake"-story on a grand scale (as its trailers really hinted) slowly give way to something else. Sure, we have many urban fantasy elements with its comic book-flirts, stylistics and tongue-in-cheek-cheesy characters (and so-so effects). But these are just peripheral disguises. Filmmakers Mårlind/Stein actually open the emotional window on a psychologically personal level here, as the main core of the film unfolds. So the strongest reason to enjoy this movie is not its action or thriller bits. It's the moody, harrowing midsection of DD facing his childhood demons of guilt in his hometown — that is an unforgettable and visually stunning nightmare that would give even Ingmar Bergman cold shivers. This ambitious film-making team created something great with the formidable TV-series "De drabbade" a few years back. Let's hope they still have more to come within the Swedish cinema industry- it's much needed! 6 out of 10 from Ozjeppe

• Entertaining but didn't quite hit my spot

  skelk2009-02-11

  The world of DD is all a bit dulled. He is insensitive to touch and doesn't really know what he wants out of life or where he wants to take his career. Whilst pleasant enough to those around him he is the kinda guy who never returns the DVD's you lend him and he isn't the kind of guy to go out of his way to help a stranger in need, or to even give them the time of day. DD is a reflection of society in general. So what would happen if this easy life was torn in two because of lost remnants of his childhood? Storm takes the viewer on a twisting comic book journey that forces the main character to question his entire way of life by looking back upon his previous choices and actions. Storm has often been likened to the Matrix in terms of style, both of the main characters are comic book heroes of sorts, both are lost in a confused world, but the comparison ends there. There are a couple of nods to some scenes from the matrix (Run DD) but Storm takes an entirely fresh look at what it is to be alive and to feel. Some scenes are very eerie and are reminiscent of silent hill and the ending is quite bizarre too. Essentially Storm questions the intrinsic nature of man, albeit with clunkiness and size 11 boots.