Åke Edwardson's mystery novels are the source for this 2010 Swedish crime series starring Magnus Krepper as Inspector Erik Winter of the Gothenburg Police Department. With his tousled hair, three days' beard, and rumpled clothing, Winter gives the initial impression of being a free-spirited crime fighter. But in what could be considered stereotypical Swedish style, his behavior is closer to morose than kinetic, with his sullenness fueled by both the nastiness of the crimes that he is solving and his inability to spend more time with his wife and two young daughters. The first of four episodes compiled here, “Beautiful Country,” is mostly interesting because its victims are immigrants and the unfolding mystery offers a harsh contradiction to the image of Sweden as a country that generously welcomes foreign asylum seekers. The other episodes, sadly, have connect-the-dots stories that wear out their welcome long before the culprit is unmasked, with two of them—“Room No. 10” and “Almost Dead Man”—featuring too-convenient connections between current murders and crimes from the past. The final episode, “The Last Winter,” is marred by an obvious plot twist involving the inspector's family being put in peril. With its lethargic pacing and ensemble acting that rarely rises above the tedious, the only genuine mystery here is how this dreary show ever got on the air, let alone crossed the Atlantic. Not recommended. (P. Hall)
Inspector Winter
MHz, 3 discs, 420 min., in Swedish w/English subtitles, not rated, DVD: $39.99
Inspector Winter
Star Ratings
As of March 2022, Video Librarian has changed from a four-star rating system to a five-star one. This change allows our reviewers to have a wider range of critical viewpoints, as well as to synchronize with Google’s rating structure. This change affects all reviews from March 2022 onwards. All reviews from before this period will still retain their original rating. Future film submissions will be considered our new 1-5 star criteria.
Order From Your Favorite Distributor Today: