WALLANDER: LACKAN (THE LEAK)
Sweden, 2009, 90 minutes, Colour.
Directed by Henrik Georgsson.
Krister Henriksson plays Wallander in twenty-six episodes, the first in 2005, the second in 2009/10. He is a contrast with Kenneth Branagh who portrayed Wallander in nine British/Swedish telemovies.
The Swedish films are much more ordinary in their presentation of police work in Sweden, contrasting with the Branagh version where he is a tortured soul and the film focuses on his own personal crises, relationship with his father and his daughter, his anguishing over his work and its implications.
The team is there working with him. The films are interesting police stories in themselves, as well as Swedish interpretations of the novels by Henning Mankell.
1. The place of this film in the series? Audience knowledge of Wallander, his staff? His methods? Ystad and its locations?
2. The use of the city of Ystad, the waterfront, the police precincts, homes, the woods? The musical score?
3. The title, the indication of the armed robberies, the information, the leak? The mystery in who was the leak?
4. The opening, the shooter in the forest, killing the jogger? His body found? Identification – and the indications on his map where he was killed?
5. The raids, the crew? Belker and his reputation?
6. The police: Pontus and Isabell, their discussions, uniforms, trainees, on the streets? Their seeing the raid, disobeying orders, the pursuit? The van backing? The injuries to Pontus, taken, tied up, in the van, his escape? Their both being in hospital? Wallander rebuking them, but glad that they were safe? Svartman and his wife and family, going to the body in the woods, his spending time in the woods, his attention to detail? Martinsson, being ready with the gun, the interrogations?
7. Wallander, his personality, age? In uniform, going to the ceremony, Katarina inviting herself? His encounter with his friend Sven? Sven’s wife? Sven’s story, insecurity, giving up on the police, going to the South of France? The murders, the raids? His following through clues, the investigation? His knowledge of Belker? His upset and Isabell disobeying orders? The body in the woods and its identification? The card from Sven, going to visit the man in charge of the plans, his compulsive gambling? Sven and his confession, the preparations for attacking the raiders? The pursuit of Belker? The injuries to Sven’s wife, Sven and his arrest? Wallander and his relationship with Katarina, close, friendship? The dogs? The absence of the family stories in this film?
8. The gambler, Martinsson following him, his information, the location of the van at the harbour?
9. The focus on robbery, killings? The investigation and successful outcome? Belker being left to Interpol?
