Detective Harry Hole (Michael Fassbender) is hot on the trail of a legendary serial killer in this 2017 adaptation of Jo Nesbø’s bestselling novel. As directed by Tomas Alfredson, the underbaked story lurches along with some sizeable logic gaps, but excels at showcasing its breathtaking Nordic locations populated by a surprisingly strong cast.
Buy The SnowmanWhen a woman disappears during the first snowfall, her only remaining trace is her red scarf wrapped around a snowman’s neck. Harry Hole investigates the case with the assistance of driven new recruit Katrine Bratt (Rebecca Ferguson). The killer makes subsequent strikes, always leaving a snowman as a calling card and recalling similar unsolved murders from years past. We see flashbacks of prior investigations, as well as the formative years of the killer’s youth, providing insight into his motivations and tactics. Unfortunately, some narrative connective tissue seems to be missing, leaving the story feeling incomplete as Hole races to the big showdown. The premise is good, the cast and locations are great, but the story just never quite connects.
The release is likely timed to coincide with Harry Hole’s latest U.S. incursion thanks to the current well-regarded Netflix series from Norway, Detective Hole. It’s telling that Nesbø maintains firm control of the TV series as creator, writer, and showrunner, undoubtedly a reaction to serving no creative role on this largely overlooked film. While the series only boasts one recognizable global star (Joel Kinnaman), the movie is stacked with Ferguson, Charlotte Gainsbourg, J.K. Simmons, and the late Val Kilmer. They’re all solid in their roles, with Kilmer in one of his final performances appearing in flashbacks as a weary alcoholic detective who chased the same serial killer nine years earlier. It’s Fassbender’s vehicle though, and he broods his way through with his typically palpable intensity.
The film has never been released on 4K in the U.S. until now, and the results are impressive thanks to Dion Beebe’s dynamite cinematography and the natural beauty of Norway’s winter snowscapes. Exteriors highlight the interplay between deep black and pure white tones to masterful effect, while interiors are bathed in soothing yellowish hues emphasizing warmth and shelter. The DTS 5.1 sound is also well done, driving home the vastness of the icy wilderness.
Bonus features are carried over from the prior Universal Blu-ray release, with the addition of two new commentary tracks. The legacy features appear on this combo pack’s Blu-ray disc, offering looks at the cast of characters, the adaptation from page to screen, the Snowman Killer, the Norwegian landscape, and the construction of a stunt sequence.
