Well Worth Your Time

Swedish director Peter Lindmark takes the well - used Hitchcockian device of "the apparently innocent man on the run for a murder he didn't commit" and creates a Scandinavian thriller with copious twists and some unexpected turns.

Mads Mikkelsen makes for a compelling protagonist who is forced to overcome the many obstacles in his path by relying on his cunning and contacts, rather than his fists and guns. (There is a degree of violence, but much of the "action" happens off screen and the audience only see the results).

It's interesting seeing Alexander Skarsgard speaking in his native Swedish, before he buffed up to play Eric Northman in True Blood. Here he plays Fabian,a far less dominating presence than Eric and a work colleague of Mikkelsen's Thomas, who gradually finds himself allied to Thomas in ways he might never have expected.

Director Lindmark packs a lot of story into the movie's 100 odd minutes, but keeps things moving at a brisk clip.

In terms of leading the viewer on, he generally plays pretty fair, though by the movie's end we come to realise we arguably know little more about the enigmatic Thomas, than we did at the beginning. There are certainly inconsistencies like Thomas's narration which begins the film barely making a reappearance, begging the question "Why have it any way?" And of course the inevitable loose ends to the plot line.

But if like me you find yourself drawn to layered mysteries you will probably enjoy Exit and its attractive summer time Swedish locations.