Based on the novel by Henning Mankell (author of the popular Wallander books), the German TV movie The Man from Beijing begins with the massacre of virtually all of the residents of a remote Swedish village—members of a single family—in an exceptionally bloody and savage attack. That horrific event brings the clan's sole survivor—judge Birgitta Roslin (Suzanne von Borsody)—to the site, where she initiates her own investigation into the slayings, as the police do not want her involved. Ultimately, Roslin ties the killings—as well as a similar slaughter of a related American family—to the building of the transcontinental railway in the United States during the 19th-century, as well as to a vendetta against her family by a powerful Chinese industrialist seeking to avenge wrongs done to ancestors who worked on the project. That discovery leads Roslin to China on a quest to track down the villain, a trip that puts her own life in jeopardy. Costarring Michael Nyqvist, this handsomely lensed production—shot in both Europe and Asia—is sure to appeal to thriller fans. Recommended. Note: DVD extras include a “making-of” featurette (16 min.), and trailers. Bottom line: a solid extras package for a winning adaptation.] (F. Swietek)
The Man from Beijing
Music Box, 180 min., in German w/English subtitles, not rated, DVD: $24.95, Sept. 25 Volume 27, Issue 6
The Man from Beijing
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