Sydney Film Festival 2014 - Film Review - In Order of Disappearance

Shoot-out at the snowplow shed - In Order of Disappearance

Scandinavian films, particularly from Norway, Sweden and Denmark often use satire, irony and unpredictable extreme violence to great effect in dark humoured storylines leaving audiences unsure as to whether to laugh or be shocked. Thus it is with In Order of Disappearance from Director Hans Petter Moland, a film which moves a fast pace with drastic results. The storyline follows Nils, (Stellan Skarsgard) who runs a snowplough through the mountain roads of Norway in Winter and his quest to avenge the murder of his son by drug dealers. Nils uncovers the trail of his son's murderers leading to the vegan drug-gangster 'The Count' and along the way various members of the Count's gang are dispatched by Nils by different creative methods with the advantage of heavy machinery and beginners luck. Unaware of Nil's quest, The Count assumes the other local crime group run by the Serbian mafia are responsible and a turf war breaks out between the two groups until it becomes obvious that another party is involved. Bruno Ganz is 'Papa', head of the Serbian mafia, Pål Sverre Hagen is hilarious as 'The Count' and together with Nils form the three protagonists in the plot. A film for those who appreciate Norwegian humour.