Pyramiden

Of the three ''Wallander'' productions, the two are Swedish and the other British with Kenneth Branagh, this is by far the best as Rolf Lassgård proves that he is one of the top Nordic actors and deserves absolute respect from the audience. His performance as Inspector Kurt Wallander of Ystad police force is magnificent and way better than the other two (Branagh and Henriksson) in the later editions. This is the first, chronologically, attempt to adapt Henning Mankell's most eminent creation, the solemn and melancholic Kurt Wallander who became one of the most beloved characters in contemporary European crime fiction. Furthermore Marie Richardson (''Innan vi dör'') is terrific in her portrayal of Wallander's sidekick, Maja. The scriptwriters remained as faithful as possible both to the plotline and the characterization and each episode of the series is actually a tv-movie, lasting approximately 90 minutes. For those who are not familiar with the character and Mankell's work in general, this series can introduce him to the fictional world of the ''Wallander'' saga. Those who weren't satisfied with the other two editions, should check out this one and maybe they will find what they are searching: a decent adaptation of the books with some great performances by seasoned Swedish actors.