Reykjavik – Rotterdam

After The Higher Force in 2009, another Icelandic crime film with clumsy gangsters (without weapons), a stiff tempo, fluent soundtrack and offbeat humour. Reykjavik-Rotterdam, is the Icelandic submission for the Oscars; a Hollywood remake starring Mark Wahlberg is announced.
Protagonist Kristófer is forced into a position of smuggling a cargo of alcohol again in the smooth first fifteen minutes, even though he is still on probation and had turned his back on his criminal life. He signs on as crew on a container vessel to Rotterdam, while his wife and two young children stay behind, protected by ex-crime colleague and his wife’s ex-boyfriend Steingrímur. In Rotterdam, Kristófer faces Dutch actor Victor Löw as a wrought-up, foulmouthed and trigger-happy gangster. Adapted from a book by Iceland’s most famous crime novelist, Arnaldur Indridason, who co-wrote the screenplay. Co-production with the Dutch company Rotterdam Films.