TL;DR
Think John Carpenter meets Swedish grit. Vi dör i natt is a surprisingly brutal and realistic low-budget thriller that proves you don't need a Hollywood budget for a pulse-pounding experience. Inspired by classics like Assault on Precinct 13, this film delivers tight pacing, authentic dialogue, and no-holds-barred violence without being exploitative. It's a testament to the power of creative filmmaking when resources are limited. Get ready for an intense ride that defies expectations. Discover why this Swedish genre gem is a must-watch and read the full review.
Thrilling, swift, and ruggedly realistic – Vi dör i natt is Swedish genre cinema at its finest.
Admitting to having John Carpenter‘s genre classic Assault on Precinct 13 (1976) as a source of inspiration – while simultaneously referencing films like The Warriors (1979), Siege (1983), and The Siege (1998) – is inherently risky, often inviting elevated expectations and stringent critical scrutiny.
For Swedish filmmakers, operating independently and outside the established system, to also produce a low-budget thriller in the same vein is a remarkably audacious undertaking.
This pertains to a type of film (if one consults the Swedish Film Institute) that we shouldn’t make in Sweden, and (if one consults the critics) that we can’t make in this country. Consequently, enthusiasts of genre cinema commend individuals who challenge conventional norms, respectfully disregard established practices, and demonstrate the resilience, boldness, and capability to execute such ambitious projects successfully.
It is particularly gratifying when independent creators succeed in demonstrating that substantial budgets are not invariably synonymous with quality, and that – much like Carpenter in his prime – exceptional genre films can be produced with limited financial resources. When extensive resources are lacking, one must maximize resources and push the boundaries of imagination, creativity, and artistic innovation to their absolute limits. The results can indeed be exceptionally successful – as with the well-made, currently screening Vi dör i natt.
Then again, perhaps a prerequisite for success is that the newly formed Rock Hammer Films AB consists of a group of seasoned industry veterans with a profound appreciation for cinema and impressive CVs – Richard Holm (Avgrunden), Christian Magdu (Gåsmamman), Henric Brandt (Vilsen), Andreas Wessberg (Ett sista race) and screenwriters Christin Magdu (Ute & cyklar) and Robin Sherlock Holm (Avgrunden.)
A Perfect Premise
When the Rock Hammer collective decided to make a film, they established two core principles – the film should not exceed 90 minutes in length and it should never be boring.
This represents an ideal premise, one that more filmmakers would do well to adopt. But it is, of course, also a formidable challenge to execute successfully, and not at all obvious, especially when the story in Vi dör inatt itself is intentionally lean and unfolds within a limited space.
Nevertheless, the successful execution of this ambition is commendable.
Christin Magdu and Robin Sherlock Holm have crafted a tight and credible script, skillfully infused with subtle, gallows humor. The dialogue exhibits a refreshing, spontaneous authenticity, as actors are permitted to overlap and interrupt, faithfully reflecting real-life interactions, particularly under duress. The characters are also convincing, largely thanks to a roster of skilled actors who endow them with depth and authenticity.
Christian Magdu portrays with a nuanced warmth and sympathetic appeal the smitten, yet otherwise morally ambiguous Francki, who has taken a job at the desolate discount store Nisses just to get close to his colleague Ellie (Amanda Lindh).
Chaos erupts one evening when a woman (Emilia Roosman) and a man who has been stabbed (Kamjar Rezaei) force their way into the store, pursued by a relentless and violent gang.
The police are far away, and the staff (Clara Christiansson Drake, Jonathan Fredriksson and Ia Langhammer), along with the mysterious alcoholic Conny (Kristoffer Joner), are compelled to barricade themselves to repel the masked assailants, who are determined to breach the premises.
As a director, Richard Holm demonstrates profound expertise in the genre of film.
His storytelling style is direct, distinct, and effective. The editing mirrors this directness and efficiency.
The pace is commendably high and sustains an intense level of tension, without compromising the nuances of the relational drama between the unwillingly assembled combatants, or lapsing into contrived sequences that merely protract the narrative.
There are also several small, elegant homages to 80s favorites for attentive viewers familiar with the genre.
The violence is notably brutal – necks are broken, people are shot, run over, burned, and have their heads smashed with hammers and spiked baseball bats. It is effective and painfully intimate, without resorting to gratuitous exploitation.
One might, given decades of exposure to extreme cinematic violence, anticipate a more overtly shocking final scene.
But Vi dör inatt stands out as Swedish genre cinema at its finest.
It is a thrilling, swift, and ruggedly realistic film that unequivocally asserts the viability, and indeed necessity, of producing more genre cinema within this country.
