BLACK CRAB/ SVART KRABBA

Sweden, 2022, 114 minutes, Colour.

Noomi Rapace, Jakob Oftebro, Das Salim, Erik Enge, Ardalan Esmaili, David Dencik.

Directed by Adam Berg.

Over the years we have seen many war films with special operations, a select group, commissioned, dangers, a life or death mission. These have been very popular in war times, especially World War II.

However, here we are in the future, a suggestion of the post-apocalyptic atmosphere, the familiar look of contemporary cities but explosions, military, terror for the citizens, cars opened and people dragged out, military bases. The film creates and sustains its atmosphere.

This is a Swedish production, starring Noomi Raplace who once upon a time was The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo or, rather, thrice upon a time, making her mark in world cinema and extending her career beyond Europe to the US. Here she is back, more than a decade later, in her native Sweden. At first we see her as Edh, a mother with her young daughter in the car, then the daughter dragged away, then she is in uniform, herded into a crowded train, ordered out, taken to the base, an interview with the leader, told she has a special mission along with five other people because she is skilled at skating and understands ice and its limits for skating.

The mission is to take some capsules behind enemy lines to the rebel headquarters, something which will change the fate of the war. They escape, especially at night, more than 100 km, life and death.

There is some beauty at times and the photography of the skaters on the ice, long shots, aerial shots, close-ups. As might be expected, there are many difficulties, snipers, helicopters, the skaters hiding, one falling through the ice, another wounded, meeting an old couple in a house who seemed folksy but then deadly, an attack by enemy soldiers and defence with guns and grenades, and more deaths.

There is complexity as one of the members of the group is under suspicion, especially by Edh, his behaviour with her previously.

When the nature of the capsules is revealed, there is a conflict between obeying orders and not obeying orders.

After the trek on the ice, there is substantial part of the film in the headquarters, in the hospital, recoveries, in the laboratories, and action decisions to be taken about the capsules.

A different mission operation story, which also raises issues of war, and moral issues about weapons.

1. The title, tones, crab walking and the operation, the operation itself?
2. The time, future war, civil war, the cities and attacks, the headquarters, on the roads, military bases, the operation on the ice, the islands, the house, the final destination, the laboratories? The musical score?
3. Edh and her story, in the car with her daughter, the music, the explosions, the daughter’s fear, taking shelter, dragged from the car? Edh and her memories throughout the film, the flashbacks, the happy times with her daughter? Edh, military, in the train, summoned, in the car with an island, the journey, his stop off, the attack and her driving away? To the headquarters, waiting, the other candidates, the meeting with the commander, the mission, their qualifications, to get the capsules behind enemy lines to the other headquarters?
4. The minimal briefing, the nature of the mission, the ice, too light for vehicles, too heavy for ships? The dangers, behind enemy lines, in the light, in the dark? Their equipment? The morale boosting, that this would save the war? And Edh being promised to see her daughter?
5. The team, characteristics, Malik, Granik, young, Karimi and willing, his girlfriend? The leader and her tough stances? suspicions?
6. The drama on the ice, the skating and equipment, the long shots, the aerial shots, the beauty of the skaters on the ice? The succession of events, being shot at, taking cover, the icebreaking and the leader falling through the ice, and Edh rescuing the capsules and leaving her? In the house, the old couple, the machine gun under the table, the shootings, Karimi and his death, the later radio contact from his girlfriend, that he was telling the truth about his call to her? Malik, discussion about the furniture and the antiques? His being wounded, left, his shooting himself?
7. The helicopters, the surveys, their being shot at, hiding? The attack on the island, the destruction of the house, Granny and Edh shooting, the grenades, and Granik being killed by the grenade? The pathos of his telling his story about his young days, deaths and torture, his training?
8. Suspicions on the island, the completion of the mission, the revelation about the truth of the capsules, a virus? Obeying the law, Nylund wanting to get rid of the capsules? Edh pursuing him, shooting him, collapsing on the ice, her being recovered?
9. In the laboratory, losing her toes, the wounds, rehabilitation? The ceremony, the medals? No island present, the broken arm? He is receiving the medals?
10. Edh, wanting to see her daughter, the tantrum, her attack on the officer?
11. The contact with Nylund, Edh and her change of heart, wanting to destroy the virus, working together, through the corridors, the guard, taking his card, entry to laboratory, the guns, the loyal worker and her denunciation, the fearful worker, leading them to the virus? Setting the alarm?
12. Edh and Nylund with the group, the evacuation, the being taken, the grenade, the previous use of shooting and grenades? Her holding it, Nylund and the helicopter, her nodding for him to go, the threat, throwing herself off the wall, the explosion and the destruction of the virus?
13. The final image of Edh and her daughter, United underwater?
14. A parable about war, civil war, weapons, tactics, virus and disease as a weapon?