Riders Of Justice

Composite Score: 81.9

Starring: Mads Mikkelsen, Nikolaj Lie Kaas, Andrea Heick Gadeberg, Lars Brygmann, Nicolas Bro, Gustav Lindh, Roland Møller, Albert Rudbeck Lindhardt, and Omar Shargawi

Director: Anders Thomas Jensen

Writers: Anders Thomas Jensen and Nikolaj Arcel

Genres: Action, Comedy, Drama

MPAA Rating: Not Rated

Box Office: $2.00 million worldwide

Why should you Watch This Film?

                Riders of Justice is a Danish action comedy about a man whose wife has died and is now seeking revenge and an explanation of why it happened. It touches on so many issues – therapy, masculinity, family, revenge, the nature of the universe – and does so in a way that is approachable for most audiences, namely, the vehicle of an action comedy starring Mads Mikkelsen. The action is great, solid shoot-outs and chases and threats to the “good guys”. The comedy is phenomenally dry and smart, bringing a witty mix of visual and verbal humor to the table. The story even manages to become unique through a combination of quality characters and a highly interesting plot twist. This is not just another Kill Bill or The Revenant, it is something else entirely.

Why shouldn’t you Watch This Film?

                By touching on some of its subjects in the way that it does, Riders of Justice has the potential to rub some people the wrong way. Certain aspects of the film seem to make light of the idea of therapy and psychiatrists, having the mathematicians working with Mikkelsen’s Markus pose as therapists and actually bring some closure might imply that such work is actually not as beneficial as some might want you to believe, which is potentially problematic for people who really need therapy (especially since the real way that Markus reaches closure about his wife’s death is through a highly dangerous plot involving a bike gang, which is not tenable for most). Also, certain characters use the r-slur and f-slur pretty regularly. They are by no means held up as models of good behavior, but that doesn’t make the use of the slurs any less offensive.

So wait, why should you Watch This Film?

                By telling a story about seeking revenge, Riders of Justice also delves into the topic of grief and the reasons that things happen the way that they do, making it more than just an action comedy. The discussions that Markus and his daughter Mathilde (Andrea Heick Gadeberg) have with the other characters and one another about dealing with the loss of their wife/mother touch on the different ways that people go through the grieving process, both healthy and unhealthy. In focusing on the character of Markus, a veteran who rarely exhibits emotion, the film is then also able to critique his archetype, pointing out the ways that bottling up emotion and resorting to violence hurt not only Markus but also those around him – his daughter and his newfound friends and even his daughter’s boyfriend. It serves as a brilliant discussion on that particular brand of masculinity, showing the need and potential for growth without vilifying and, thereby, alienating such characters.

                The film’s performances are stellar. Mads Mikkelsen’s Markus is perfect as the imposing, irrational leader of the revenge group. Andrea Heick Gadeberg’s Mathilde shines as the grieving teenager struggling to connect with a distant father while also working to find meaning in the brutal world that she has become a privy to. Nikolaj Lie Kaas plays Otto, the mathematician who brings forward the possibility that Markus’s wife’s death was no accident, playing the awkward but well-intentioned scholar well, bringing depth of feeling to a character that could otherwise have been just another comic relief character. Even Lars Brygmann, Nicolas Bro, Gustav Lindh, and Albert Rudbeck Lindhart bring a sense of genuine humanity to their comedic characters, and they deliver both physical and verbal jokes with timing and skill that keep the film’s darker moments light.

                Riders of Justice is a quality action comedy that elevates itself above others in the revenge thriller genre by exploring ideas of grief and causality and masculinity in depth, making it a standout and one of the Greatest Films of All Time. Issues with levity being used with certain serious subjects keep it from rising higher on the list, but its entertainment value combined with its intellectual and emotional depth are what make it so watchable. It is currently streaming on Hulu, and I cannot recommend it more – check it out.