Jordskott

Just when you thought Nordic Noir had peaked along comes Jordskott - very dark and very much of its location and the Swedes do it best! Anyone who is vaguely familiar with folk tales (from pretty much anywhere in the world) will appreciate the brooding threat, the universal fears that permeate the early episodes. But this is no outlandish 'TrollHunter', this is a full blown 'who dun it' with the supra / supernatural an integral part. Having watched the first half of the first series, for me, it plays as a cross between The Killing, Fargo and Twin Peak (series 1 obviously). I don't like particularly enjoy 'supernatural' films and I don't have any belief in spiritual worlds but I appreciate the folk lore created by of cultures to explain their natural world. And, this is where Jordskott fits.The production slowly seduces the unbeliever into a realm where you not only accept the conceits you end an episode wanting more. Level headed I may be but Jordskott has made me think twice about my impending visit to the Swedish interior. This is very much box set binge materials but I must control the urge to splurge. Watch - believe - enjoy.

When i started seeing the film, I expected a crime. Strange things happened in the first episode, that almost made me stop watching. Luckily i continued watching, and realized that this was a fairy tale. We have wonderful fairy tales in Norway, and i hoped that somebody would try to apply the new animation techniques to retell the fairy tales. Jordskott seems to be a modernized fairy tale . I know of a few Norwegian films that also put the fairy tale into modern times. These are Trolljegeren, Thale, and Gåten Ragnarok. Jordskott is the first series i see with this telling technique, and the best try on a modern Nordic fairy tale so far.

This is a pretty good series. The first 5 episodes were great - I was quite hooked and binge- watched them. Interesting characters, beautiful dark scenery fantastically shot, nice editing, good acting and a wonderfully mysterious suspenseful atmosphere. I have watched foreign shows for a while now and subtitles never bother me unless they are really bad - in this case they were spot on and flowed well with the visuals so I was unaware I was reading them.

Unfortunately something went wrong later in the show. I can't really say what it was, too many stupid decisions by the lead female (who is supposed to be a top negotiator/cop but acts like a complete idiot), the "villain" was so obviously off their rocker it beggars belief that no-one noticed, the behaviour of the board of the corporation was unrealistic & there were just a few too many plot holes etc starting to appear. It didn't stop me wanting to find out what happened/happens and sticking with the series but it did lessen my enjoyment to an extent. One scene that stands out as not credible involved someone signing away rights to something - you'll know it when you see it and quite frankly it made no sense. There were so many other options - especially in context of the person's supposed expertise & career... anyway. Frustrations & nitpicking aside I recommend this series to anyone who likes atmospheric suspenseful mysteries that involves folklore & mythical creatures not just real life evil doers.

As for the review slamming it for being "nothing but environmentalist propaganda" - I predicted some lame reviewer would trot that out just because it does, in fact, deal with issues about the environment. But you know what, movies and TV shows have - since they first began - proudly dealt with issues that effect people at the time. The environment is a pressing issue for our world today so I see no reason for anyone to dismiss art of any kind just because it brings that issue into it's purview. The fact that the reviewer bases their entire opinion of the series on their objection to it's environmental focus, tells me a lot about the reviewer and very little about the series. I imagine that's why nobody has said their review was helpful. The series incorporates a message about environmental issues, yes that's true. But it also incorporates issues around disability, autism, the parent/child relationship/bond, mental health care, youth issues & so on..... it's got many layers and is telling an adult fairy tale to get across a variety of thoughts , concepts & ideas. That is part of what makes it so interesting.

I gotta say this little Swedish gem worked for me on so many levels. The acting was really good as well as the directing. The show had a really cool creepy vibe to it (especially on season 1) that really built on top of the uniquely intriguing plot. The mystery surrounding the town and its inhabitants is expertly delivered throughout the first season. The twists and reveals blew my mind, there's no way you can get 3 episodes in and give up. This show makes true blood and Grim look like garbage. Jordskott's modern take on fairy tales is like nothing I've ever seen... It's dark and mysterious and I was as hooked on this show as some of the characters in jordskott are on their black sludge they drink to survive.

This is the kind of show I've been waiting for! It mixes suspense, physiological drama and the occult in a way that never has been done before in Swedish television. I must admit that I was a little bit skeptical during the first episode, like " oh let's see where this is going", but soon I realized that I was about to binge watch the whole series in one night!! The writers have managed to create a story that never slacks and characters that are really fascinating, while at the same time following a plot that keeps the audience in a firm grip with new twists and turns in every episode. It's like "Oh my gosh, i didn't see that one coming!!" I have always been a little bit vary about dialogue in Swedish film and television. There has been a tendency to write "on the nose" dialogue, " sometimes unbearable to listen to like in many cop series, but in "Jordskott" the writers have had great success in writing lines that lift the characters AND drive the plot forward. The cast is excellent. If Moa Gammel won't be our next export to Hollywood I would be really surprised. And Happy Jankell is truly a rising star! Last, when it comes to the work of the camera crew: Never before has the dark forests, the small deep lakes and the inherent mystery of the Swedish countryside been better shown. If I worked for Swedish tourism I would very pleased right now. Maybe we will see "Jordskott" tourism in the near future.