DOGS OF RIGA/ WALLANDER

UK, 2012, 90 minutes, Colour.
Kenneth Branagh, Soren Malling.
Directed by Esther Campbell.

Dogs of Riga belongs to the third series of wall and television movies with Kenneth Branagh. It is a particularly grim story.

Two dead men are found in the harbour of Ystad and Wallander investigates, going to Latvia where the dead men came from, contacted by a Latvian policeman who is killed. It emerges that his notes were not shared with the police force in Riga, because he was investigating corruption in the force. The story also involves a Latvian journalist who is frame for murder and is also found hanged. Wallander is also in danger of his life.

Ultimately, Wallander solves mystery and receives help from the relations of the dead men.

Wallander is becoming much more serious as he grows older, pessimistic about human nature.

1. The popularity of the Wallander novels? the character of Wallander? His manner and investigations?

2. The Swedish settings, the coast, the wharves, police offices? The Riga settings, the atmosphere of Latvia, the city, a tools, police offices, cemetery? The musical score?

3. A more contained Wallander story than usual? Restricted locations in Sweden, in Riga?

4. Wallander and his work, his life, alone, age, brooding? Stimulated by a case? The finding of the bodies, the torture? The investigation identifying them? The code on their bodies? Leading back to Russia? To Latvia?

5. The investigator coming from Riga? Taciturn? Information about drugs, looking at the raft, finding the hidden drugs? The photos, his faxing them to Riga? The bond with Wallander? Wallander giving him the book? His wife’s later comment about the gift?

6. The inspector and his return to Riga? The news of his death? Torture? The search for his files? His suspecting police involvement with the gang for drugs? Wallander going to Riga? Meeting the police, the letter of the law policeman, the Russian and his disheveled look? Suspicions?

7. Wallander in Riga, hotel, his phoning being bugged? Meeting Inez? The encounter with the widow? The cemetery? Collaboration for the files? The arrest of the widow, the torture with the acid? The rogue policeman? The warning of the fisherman on the wharf, shooting?

8. Wallander returning to Sweden, then back to Riga, documents, information?

9. The rogue policeman, the gun, the standoff at the wharf, the strict policeman being the villain? Talk with the Russian policeman, his status in Latvia, under suspicion, his completing the case?

10. Wallander and the widow, the bond, his return or her coming to Sweden?

11. An interesting contribution to the series?