Genre: Crime Biography
Director: Erik Skjoldbjærg
Starring: Marit Synnøve Berg, Frode Winther Gunnes, Morten Larsen, Tov Sletta, Hege Kristin Kjærvoll Sunde
Duration: 87 min.
Summary:
A reenactment of the largest bank robbery in Norwegian history. The April 5, 2004 raid on NOKAS the central cash service office in Stavanger.
Nokas is a Norwegian film directed by Erik Skjoldbjærg. It was released theatrically in Norway in October 2010. The film depicts the most notorious bank heist in Norwegian history, an elaborately planned early morning raid on a cash servicing depot in Stavanger where 11 armed men made off with 57 million Kroner (~$10 million USD) and one police officer was shot and killed.
This one offers an unorthodox take on the classic heist film. There are no characters here, no scenes of superfluous dialog, no dramatic cues, just real people going about their day, bystanders, cash clerks, bus drivers, policemen, and bank robbers, all are treated the same. All filmed in a hand held documentary fashion, following the action intimately, with an emphasis on close ups of all the players. The camera is constantly moving and could be considered too blurry and excessively shaky at times, but it is what builds the tension here, because there are no melodramatic sub plots, no character development, and no exposition.
The action on screen alone drives the story. Told in a semi linear way, with frequent instant flashbacks to replay events from the different points of view, the terrified bank employees, the skeleton crewed police who were tipped off about a possible robbery but were horribly unprepared, and the robbery crew, dressed as a SWAT team ready to execute a meticulously organized job, but for which nearly every step doesn't go quite as planned. It's interesting to see how almost every action on both sides is botched in some way and it's amazing that it didn't turn into a much bigger bloodbath.
This one offers an unorthodox take on the classic heist film. There are no characters here, no scenes of superfluous dialog, no dramatic cues, just real people going about their day, bystanders, cash clerks, bus drivers, policemen, and bank robbers, all are treated the same. All filmed in a hand held documentary fashion, following the action intimately, with an emphasis on close ups of all the players. The camera is constantly moving and could be considered too blurry and excessively shaky at times, but it is what builds the tension here, because there are no melodramatic sub plots, no character development, and no exposition.
The action on screen alone drives the story. Told in a semi linear way, with frequent instant flashbacks to replay events from the different points of view, the terrified bank employees, the skeleton crewed police who were tipped off about a possible robbery but were horribly unprepared, and the robbery crew, dressed as a SWAT team ready to execute a meticulously organized job, but for which nearly every step doesn't go quite as planned. It's interesting to see how almost every action on both sides is botched in some way and it's amazing that it didn't turn into a much bigger bloodbath.
Nokas is a fascinating film with a unique style but fails to really deliver any of the excitement expected of a crime thriller. For an audience unfamiliar with the events beforehand, will feel much like watching an A&E crime reenactment show, without the narration, even if it is nicer looking and better acted.
9 comments:
sounds exciting. :)
The guy in the poster reminds me of Snake Eyes, not that I've seen the new G.I.Joe crap. Really, I haven't!
Another one to confuse me. I don't mind if a movie is a little slow or if it delivers less action or anything, and usually I love heist films for the psychological impact that tends to be shown on the criminals.. And I have no idea if this one has that or not, I mean if it doesn't really have character development, it probably doesn't. Right?
Different, very different, did they get away with the crime?
Interesting. I have a thing for movies that try without dialog.
When I first saw the poster, I thought it was a ninja movie too
No they all eventually got busted. Including one guy who wasn't even part of the crew but was outside selling drugs at the time. Most of the cash is still missing though.
There is dialog, but it's all natural and directly related to the action.
another great movie
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