Headhunters (2011)

Headhunters is the first in what I suspect will be a slew of Jo Nesbø film adaptations in the coming years and Morten Tyldum's cinematic rendering offers suspense, action and most notably intelligence, sometimes rare in the action-thriller genre. The film, based on the Edgar Award nominated Norwegian author's 2008 novel Hodejegerne (Headhunters), follows a highly successful corporate headhunter, who sidelines as an art thief, Roger Brown (Aksel Hennie) as he tries to obtain an extremely rare and valuable Peter Paul Rubens painting, lost since World War II, from former elite solider Clas Greve (Nikolaj Coaster-Waldau).

Roger Brown has a borderline Napoleon complex that he is well aware of judging by the numerous times he mentions his height, 1.68m. The fact that his wife Diana (Synnøve Macody Lund) is much taller than him and supposedly prefers a certain luxurious lifestyle, forces him, in his mind, to steal and sell valuable art pieces in order to buy his wife expensive gifts and a support their lavish lifestyle. The viewer quickly learns that all Diana wants in her life is a child, something Roger is hesitant to consider.

Diana has recently opened a new art gallery in Oslo and it is here that Roger meets, not only the perfect target for his current corporate recruitment in Clas Greve, but also the answers to his financial woes when Clas mentions to Diana that he possesses a long-thought to be lost Reubens painting. Roger sets out to break into Clas's apartment with the help of his sleazy criminal partner Ove (Eivind Sander), but Roger finds a lot more than the painting and soon finds out that Clas is a headhunter in his own way.

Ove's job is to disable security systems so Roger can infiltrate the building and obtain the targeted art pieces and Ove is also responsible for selling the stolen property. When Ove tries to retrieve the stolen Reubens from Roger's car things goes awry and Roger is suddenly thrust into a brutal game of cat and mouse. And by brutal, I mean Tyldum doesn't shy away from capturing the violence, neither the present violence nor the effects of said violence. In one scene, Tyldum presents what is probably the most uncomfortable and immensely painful head shaving sequence captured on film. The story also contains what has to be one of the greatest tests of trust and if you were to pass this test you should be forgiven for any and all past transgressions.

Though the film does suffer from plot holes, as do most films in the thriller genre, they don't seem to be as egregious as others of its ilk. Aksel Hennie gives a great performance as the insecure art thief and Nikolaj Coaster-Waldau does equally well as the ruthless hunter. Hollywood may have just found their newest fountain of secondhand ideas in 'Scandi-crime' adaptations, akin to the Japanese horror remakes of the early to mid 2000s, but Headhunters is a must-see, a tremendous and enjoyable addition to the action-thriller genre.

Kevin FilmPulse.net

Fmovies: Im from Norway, and the last years Norwegians movies that are known has been horror movies. So this is a kind of movies we don't get from Norway so very often. That the main actor was good, is no surprise - and he is the actor in many other movies as well. But this is probably the movie i have liked him most. He plays a character that have many flaws, and that does not act like a hero. And the story is a bit twisted - and surprising. I saw it with a friend from Philippines and we both agree that this is one of the best thriller we have seen in 2011. So hurray for this Norwegians movie - and lets hope it will come more in the years that come in this quality.

Dark Scandinavian crime movies being all the rage lately, this intelligent, action-packed thriller didn't disappoint. I went into the film without reading the book or indeed knowing a single thing about the film. I enjoyed it.

I was drawn into this northern world with its interesting people and beautiful natural scenery. What also made this movie stand out was the fast-paced plot with many unusual and unexpected twists. It is the kind of film that has you glued to your seat to see what could possibly happen next to the main character. Roger Brown, the headhunter, becomes headhunted. (But what's the story with the English name??)

No movie is perfect. There were a few plot problems and I have to admit I looked at my watch half way through, despite the fast pace.

Perhaps the film could be faulted for showing only two types of Norwegians: rich sophisticates and yokels (all blond of course). Aren't there any ordinary middle-class people in Norway?

Also, some of the scenes may be too difficult for the squeamish to watch. Not exessive, but just a little over the top.

I'd give this film a higher score, but I am not a fan of the genre. Still, I did enjoy it for what it was and would recommend it to anyone. It's a good movie.

Headhunters fmovies. Pretty boy Aksel Hennie (ginger beauty on a par with Julian Rhind-Tutt), proves to be well cast in this frantic thriller. Starting as an arrogant self-important but clearly insecure (at just 5'6")office type, he soon shows his coolness in robbing job candidates of their fine art. The story is inventive and translates well to the screen in this version directed by Morten Tyldum. The action soon turns horrifying and Aksel Hennie has the perfect physiognomy to illustrate the change without recourse to words. You really do travel this terrible journey with him and it is truly terrifying. You begin to empathise with a man you have no reason to like, and that is saying something! Thank goodness there is no smell-o-vision as Roger Brown seeks refuge in a cesspool. There's nowhere for him to go and no way of hiding. You do feel he will never survive - and this takes you right to the penultimate scenes. A marvellous tour de force by all involved. Hurrah! A brilliant film at last!

Headhunters, based on Jo Nesbo's novel of the same, lived up to all my expectations - even though I am not very keen on thrillers in general. It all started out fairly interesting, although I quickly started to dislike the main character, Roger Brown. His snobbish, very self-confident attitude just put me off. However, to support his lavish lifestyle, he steals art to afford everything for his beloved wife and it all ends in a captivating battle of survival. Soon, he is chased by his rival, Clas Greve, and it seems to be an absolutely hopeless escape as Greve is always just a few steps behind. First, I attended the movie with close attention. But in the end, I didn't even dare to breath properly. A highly-recommended, although too bloody, high-quality thriller for everybody!

Roger Brown has a pretty good life. By day, he's a corporate recruiter (headhunter) who goes home at night to a magnificent house and stunning wife. Unfortunately, Roger's insecurities (he's only 5'6") lead him to seek a lifestyle well beyond his means. How does he make up the difference between his income and expenses? High-priced art theft, of course.

Such is the premise of "Headhunters," a terrific Norwegian film that follows up its run at the 55th San Francisco International Film Festival with a general release. The film garnered quite a lot of buzz at the Festival and, after a recent screening, it's easy to see why. A mixture of crime/heist drama, action/suspense thriller, and love story, it's what the 1999 version of "The Thomas Crown Affair" might have looked like if it had been directed by Sam Peckinpah.

Brown, played by Aksel Hennie, is looking for one big score to settle him for life. Circumstances bring that possibility to him, but things are not what they seem. Things go wrong - very, very wrong - and Roger finds himself in deep, deep sh** (literally as well as figuratively.) To say much more would spoil the intricate plot (I'll leave that to the trailer,) but suffice it to say you should just sit back, buckle up, and enjoy the ride. This film has more twists and turns than a fjord-side road.

Fast paced and extremely violent in spots, this film is not for the squeamish. If you can get through a little (well, a lot) of body mutilation, high impact body trauma and the occasional spearing, you'll find yourself enjoying (yes, I said it – enjoying) a cinematic thrill ride that puts its American counterparts (see Ocean's Eleven/Twelve/Thirteen, etc.) to shame.

Catch it before the typical half-assed American remake appearsÂ…

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