Cleverly constructed Nordic noir which in typical Scandinavian style combines a convoluted plot with credible but complicated characters, filmed with an eye for widescreen. The series follows a single investigation, triggered by the death of a police informant.
Each of the six hour-long episodes peels back more layers of the story, expanding its focus from the two young lads who witness the original killings; outward to include the undercover police operation, the biker gang they were infiltrating, the new head of criminal investigations, the missing teenage daughter of a rival gangland leader – and it all pivots on the local sheriff leading the task force… who happens to be fostering one of the original witnesses.
Each question answered provokes yet more mysteries, and the plot takes several unexpected swerves, challenging the audience’s expectations while providing plenty of tension and intimate drama.
It’s obviously not as big-budget a production as something like The Bridge, but Eyewitness is quietly competent; an intelligent crime-thriller with a rewarding payoff.
There’s some unflinching violence; some overt sexual activity.
Subtitled in English, dialogue mainly Norwegian.
8/10
Reviewed by Rowena Hoseason
Eyewitness is available on DVD or at All4
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