User Reviews

From the plot outline I read I was expecting one of those save the world sci-fi films but instead what to me this film seemed to be about was a sort of tug of war for by the angel and demons for the soul of DD. It seemed to me the character Lova was meant to be an angel sent to get DD to remember his sins, repent and become a better person where as "man in suit" (we never get his name and that is literally his credit) is the Devil, trying to keep DD in his sinful ways so that his soul will end up in Hell. I don't think anyone else got this impression but there were things in the film like when Lova says she is sensitive to fire, that made me think she was an angel and the other guy the devil.

But if you're reading this and thinking that sounds cheesy and lovey dovey (because lets face it the US versions of these types of movies are) then don't worry, it's dark and gritty and doesn't shy away form the hard stuff to a point where you question whether you should feel sorry for this character. And there's no Bible bashing (except for the scene where a Jesus of Latter Saints guy asks the Devil if he wants to be saved by Jesus). And though the ending might make some people think "but I want to know more" I found myself rather satisfied with the ending. Over all I liked this film, it was a refreshing, if not violent take on Angels vs Devil themed films.

I saw this movie at its World premiere at Stockholm's Film Festival. From the get go, this movie proves to be like nothing that has ever come out of the Swedish movie business before. At first, I though that was a good thing. Then I thought it wasn't that good. Then I thought what I really thought wasn't that good was the movie, while the IDEA that the movie tried something that was new to Swedish movie production, was good. Now I just hope that the people who fund Swedish movies don't see this one as a failure - because Storm, if successful despite its flaws, might give all the aspiring Swedish action directors (that I'm sure are hiding out there) a chance, and start a wave of awesome Swedish action/adventure/Sci-Fi/contemporary-fantasy movies. Something better than the movie itself might come out of "Storm".

In Storm's Matrix-esquire introduction sequence, we see two characters running and fighting through dark culverts to get away from bald goons. It all looked very good, and Eva Röse proved to be a really convincing action heroine, which all really got my hopes up. "Are they trying to do it the Hollywood way?" I thought to myself - knowing that that would be tricky considering the history of and budgets for Swedish films don't allow a lot of the necessary stunts and special effects. Swedish films, in my mind, are mainly dramas about dysfunctional, broken people - movies that only make me feel bad. Even Swedish comedy doesn't go far outside that framework.

Well, after the introduction sequence, things change quite a bit. Immediately, a narration with comic ambitions wipes the Matrix-esquire atmosphere clean off. The first thing I thought was "Oh, so now they're showing everyone that they're indeed NOT making an attempt to 'do a Hollywood all the way', by stepping off that vibe in the harshest possible way". I was very disappointed, but on the other hand, I hardly think they, as any Swedish filmmaker, would be able to pull off a "Hollywood". Look at "Rancid".

Soon, influences from all kinds of weird places start to show up. As the movie continues, the viewer is required to digest a multitude of different story telling techniques and movie references - all in all not giving a very solid impression. There's the narrator talking directly to the audience. There's the comical flashback sequence. There's the emotional flashback sequence. There's blood squirting out of someone's neck, then there's the funny taxi driver. There's the Swedish countryside, then there's the Cuban beach. There are more something-moves-in-the-foreground-with-a-sudden-horror-music-cue scenes than I can remember. There are unintentionally comical cartoon sequences. There's the raising of the question "What is real, what is fantasy?" which has been made popular lately by movies such as "The Matrix" and "Vanilla Sky". The end leaves the viewer with some philosophical thinking to do, as the movie makers don't give you all the answers. At least some of those answers, I would like to have served.

When it all comes together, these things don't blend all that well. It feels like the filmmakers thought "Wow, we don't know when's the next time we'll have THIS much money to make a movie - we'd better squeeze all those movie ideas we've had for the last ten years into this one production!".

Nevertheless, the film becomes quite absorbing at times. The acting is good - especially Jonas Karlsson was great in his role - the camera work is superb, the production style sleek. It's amusing to see how much they make the old city of Stockholm look like "steel and glass".

This all makes me hopeful. I encourage everyone who has the chance to go see this movie when it hits the cinemas, or rent it when it's released on DVD - because if this movie makes enough money we might see more, better films like this coming out of Sweden. I know know what I have long suspected - the will and skill is out there. "Storm" is not the hit - but it might give birth to the hit. I'm crossing my fingers.

I just got home from the world premiere of this movie, and this is the first time I have seen a Swedish action movie with sci-fi elements that does not come off as quaint or just outright bad. This is a very smart movie that, while all you see is not fully explained, the right things are, and it manages to weave different parts of the story together quite nicely.

There is realism and depth (and pain!) in the psychological side of the movie, and I particularly like how the characters evolve over time - the storytelling technique works very well.

I also like Jonas Karlsson's acting - his character could easily have become cliché or cheesy (there is something with Swedish that just isn't as cool as English, when doing this type of movie), but he avoids these traps and pulls it off with class. In general the acting, in its genre, is better than most Swedish movies that try to be this cool. Because Storm is cool.

I heard this movie being put forward as a "Swedish Matrix", and while the two movies differ quite a lot, and the Matrix obviously had a much bigger budget, the comparison is not completely unwarranted since they both tell parallel stories in clever ways and play with our perception of what a normal life is. Storm tells its tale on a much more personal scale, and it does it excellently.

And also a wonderful beginning, a real quick start. It keeps you yearning and waiting for is about to come. Unfortunately the high adrenaline dries off quickly, but most certainly after half the movie is over.

And it's a shame, because this movie has really good ideas and explores many of them thoroughly. But that is also one of it's faults. By exploring too many things, it get's mixed up into to many things, so in the end you're too confused to follow any plot or characters. It's very dark and moody, but that doesn't help much, if it's also genre hopping just to try to fit any- and everything in it's story!

The world of DD is all a bit dulled. He is insensitive to touch and doesn't really know what he wants out of life or where he wants to take his career. Whilst pleasant enough to those around him he is the kinda guy who never returns the DVD's you lend him and he isn't the kind of guy to go out of his way to help a stranger in need, or to even give them the time of day. DD is a reflection of society in general.

So what would happen if this easy life was torn in two because of lost remnants of his childhood? Storm takes the viewer on a twisting comic book journey that forces the main character to question his entire way of life by looking back upon his previous choices and actions. Storm has often been likened to the Matrix in terms of style, both of the main characters are comic book heroes of sorts, both are lost in a confused world, but the comparison ends there. There are a couple of nods to some scenes from the matrix (Run DD) but Storm takes an entirely fresh look at what it is to be alive and to feel. Some scenes are very eerie and are reminiscent of silent hill and the ending is quite bizarre too. Essentially Storm questions the intrinsic nature of man, albeit with clunkiness and size 11 boots.

and it's only January, still I'm sure of it!

By far this is among the worst Swedish movies I've ever seen and to be honest Swedish movies ain't that good in general. It have been claimed to be "original" and perhaps it can be seen as that for people who never seen a English speaking movie, for us who have been to the cinema the last 10 years it can't help but to feel like Måns Mårlind and Björn Stein have been sitting down one weekend going through the most successful movies from the last years and tried to squeeze it all together in to one Swedish package. What can I say the outcome can just be...poor. First of all the story is just weak to begin with, even worse when it's not just a poor story it's a wish to combine to very poor stories - first a failed try to make Swedish action á la Matrix and then combine it with a really bad moral story. And if you thought it could not be worse you'll notice all the "cool stuff" that just have been thrown in there for absolutely no reason at all more than in a bad way trying to show that Sweden also can do Hollywood movies - which we can't nor should try to. For example the main plot is tried to made deeper by letting youths play a computer game called Storm having absolutely nothing at all with the story or for example how there is a internet side about "Storm" while all the sudden it just is the main characters consciousness - really I don't think even Stein or Mårlind can see a point with three quarters of the movie, more than just trying to show off poor extra effects. For the actors, I've got to admit Eric Ericson does a pretty good job except he does the same job the whole movie through, even tough Storm tries to be a movie about the personal development of DD he does not change one bit in his way of acting. Jonas Karlsson, well to be honest I thought he was a fairly respected actor but judging by Storm... really he just have to be ashamed of this movie, his character and his scar. Lastly Eva Röse is just beyond critic, both her character and her acting. The only reasons Storm succeeds of not getting a 1/10 is for Eric Ericson and, what can I say, at least it tries..

Anyone who really dislikes Swedish movies should really see this movie, especially if you are from Sweden. It really stands out as one of those films that shows our potential. We can make other sorts of films than those that are corny, depicting of Swedish scenery and habits, police movies, and migration movies that deal with racism.

Bcos what you actually expect when you see a Swedish film is some sort of story about love and family and at least one penis shot. Storm really breaks your expectations without becoming a bad Hollywood alike-make of some tacky action movie - we make a lot of those also (e.g. livvakterna, tredje vågen).

Treat your self to something unexpected and non-typical Swedish. 7 out of 10 is on a international scale, 10/10 if it is compared to other Swedish films.

What offends me most about the critics following this film is the mentioning of 'originality'. This film does not contain ONE innovating element. If, by 'originality' you refer to pathetic action scenes, overacting, gluttony in violence, blunt humor and a script beyond intellectual belief. Then, 'originality' is something Swedish film can do without.

How Röse and Karlsson can agree to 'act' in this poor excuse for a film is a mystery to me. And how Eva Röse after the making of this film can be seen at breakfast-TV promoting it just disappoints me.

This film doesn't contain a story, the script is illogical, stiff and last but not least, just plain bad. These two young directors have put together a quite disgusting boy-fantasy containing violence, comic-strips and trivialized psychological portraits. I wouldn't be surprised if the scene of DD masturbating in the kitchen over a micro-wave dinner actually is put there to describe the everyday life of these two overgrown cinematic nerds that pose as directors.

I wouldn't show this movie to my worst enemy.

Don't get me wrong. This is an important film (for Sweden especially as it's so rare to see a Swedish sci-fi that actually lives up to it's title) and the visual style takes influences from a bunch of ground-braking classics; OldBoy, Fight Club, Se7en, The Terminator, 28 Days Later and many more (though these references feel more like homages rather than bad rip-offs and so it just goes to show that the film was made by people who really just like movies in general).

Anyway, on with the show. The film follows DD - a hip guy hanging with all the right people and living the trendy life of a Stockholm-journalist - who suddenly has his path crossed by Lova, who seems more like a superhero than an actual Swedish girl (and yeah, I know what Swedish girls look like in general). She disappears as fast as she arrived and DD goes home to his bachelor pad.

Later on she shows up at his door, giving him an address to visit if things start to go bad. And eventually, they do (of course). When trying to find Lova again he comes across a strange box and is forced to flee the scene of a shoot-out. Now, on the run from the cops, and also from the people originally chasing Lova, he must figure out the secret of the box and manage to open it before it's to late.

This was an interesting plot to say the least and I really enjoyed the work that these directors did in the past. Unfortunetely, the wonderful visual styles used here don't quite make up for the fact that the story ends up with too many loose ends.

It could have been a brilliant film but, in the end, the final answer to what's happened during this hour-and-a-half (or whatever) just leave a whirlwind of new questions stirred up in the backwaters of the credits.

Sorry guys, I really wanted this to work as something more than just eye-candy :(

The movie opens with a Matrix-style fighting scene which makes me fear that this is yet another Swedish action movie that tries to do more than its budget allows. But after that follows a few quite humorous scenes in which we are introduced to DD - a twenty-something guy who lives a bachelor life in a dark dystopian Stockholm and is content with that; until some very strange people come around, and everything that happens seems to be about him in some way.

At first, the viewer is tempted to try and figure out what is dream and what is reality. But you just have to stop trying. The entire movie is surreal. It turns into a twisted mind game in which DD is the involuntary player and Eva Röse and Jonas Karlsson plays characters that try to guide him in different directions, where Lova (Röse) is apparent as the good one, even though everything gets very confusing. In a few sequences, the two are even shown as characters from computer games and comic books.

DD ends up in the small town of Vänersborg where he grew up, and in the desolate fog-shrouded surroundings he is forced to face teenage memories in a couple of very unpleasant scenes.

This is one of the most unpredictable movies I've ever seen. There is just no way of telling where the story is going, except for the fact that DD must open the mysterious metal box he's been given.

The cinematography reminds me very much of The Matrix trilogy, but the directors have experimented a lot and that makes the movie very enjoyable from an aesthetic point of view. Other sources of inspiration seems to have been "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" and "The Game". Anyway, the mix of ideas works into a very strange film in which the directors have made the very most of their budget (except for a few times when they use some really old horror-movie effects). The crazy sci-fi-thriller-action-drama-horror-circus leads on to a very touching finale in which some of the many loose ends are tied up.

I liked this movie a lot. And even though it's far from perfect, it is a very fresh new creation in Swedish film when it certainly is needed.

Swedish film is subject to a completely different scale of judgment when I sit down to write a review. When i review a Hollywood movie my demands are much higher. And why? Simply because Hollywood has so much more invested in each film they release. The budget-constraints on a Swedish film probably doesn't even reach the catering-budget on a regular action-movie in Tinseltown.

"Storm" has become quite successful in Swedish theaters since it was released, it has also gained some admiration from critics. So of course i was curious, having passed on the opportunity to see the movie at the Stockholm Film Festival back in November of 2005. So, did it live up to the hype? Is the Swedish thriller of the year? Well, both yes and no.

Sometimes when i watch a movie i can like it more or less purely based on the ambition rather than the result. "Storm" is a bit like that. While i didn't enjoy the movie as much as i had hoped, i did enjoy the ambitions the film-makers obviously had. There are editing, shooting and effects here never before seen in a Swedish movie. While the rather modest budget shows in some more effects-laden sequences, the movie still looks good most of the time.

What surprised me the most is the lack of action. When they promoted the film it seemed like it would be an action-movie. There would be athletic women in leather and high kicking. And there was, for a total of ten minutes throughout. The other 100 minutes is more of a drama, a movie about finding happiness and dealing with things instead of repressing them. Sound boring? Not as bad as you might think, in my book it's more about expectations. A big part of the reason why this works as well as it does is the acting. Eric Ericson as the main character "DD" is solid throughout, and Jonas Karlsson is in my opinion one of the best Swedish actors today which he shows here in a role far from what he usually does. Eva Röse also does well, both when it comes to dialog and high kicks.

In short, sure this is cheesy at times, overblown and rather pretentious. But still: there was at least the ambition to do something different! And that is what Swedish movies need, they have to get the opportunity to miss the target a couple of times. At least now things feel like they are moving forward. So while "Storm" is only half a success it's still important and I can see why so many people enjoy it. If the development goes on like this I suspect there will soon be a movie that I can enjoy as much.

First of all the actors. Sasha Becker, who I have never seen before, does an excellent job. He holds the movie together nicely and goes through a variety of moods flawlessly. Now for the rest of the cast... Jonas Karlsson, an actor who I normally respect, is horribly cast for this movie and the role as the "bad guy". With or without a scar (hah) by his right eye. Eva Röse is not only poorly casted in her role but does a terrible job, overacting every single line she does.

Another major problem with this movie is that it tries to much. It's like they added comic-book / matrix / fight club / anime / computer game references and scenes in the end just to be the flavor of the month and it totally destroys this movie! If all of that was removed and the tempo was actually slower the movie would benefit greatly. I mean come on,.. jumping over laser scenes and random running with ninjas hunting you in the midst of a otherwise good movie. Granted, the script steals a hell of a lot of influences (ripping of?) from other movies (butterfly effect / hell raiser / matrix etc) but it's core is good. Sadly this is like watching 3 movies in one with only one being good and them pulling different ways and you almost feel like jamming a fork into your leg every time you see a scene that apparently "has to be there" with no intent but to show that the movie is hip.

Cudos has to go to the art department and the Cinematography guy in charge Linus Sandgren cause *that* work is totally flawless. I left with a bitter taste of what this movie could have been LIKE and what a waste of talent of the cinematography and lead actor it had been.

When I first saw the trailer for this movie I really got caught. For being a Swedish production it really is ambitious, especially the special-effects and other stuff that rarely been included in a Swedish movie before. The movie focuses on the young man D.D (Eric Ericsson),he's a man that think that he can manage to survive all alone, who lives in the Swedish capital Stockholm. His life is really enjoyable until the mysterious woman Lova runs into him and turn his whole world upside down, she's chased by some dark and evil men who wants to kill her. I saw the movie on a Swedish cinema, I loved it, for being a Swedish film it really rocks, I've never seen anything like it. Måns Mårlind, who created the Swedish series "De Drabbade" wrote the story of the film, he's an awesome story-writer. I recommend this movie to everyone who liked the movie "The Matrix", the whole atmosphere feels like the one in matrix, but that's my own opinion.

Highly entertaining, visually satisfying film. I hadn't heard too much about this film, so was extremely surprised with how much I enjoyed it. I did some research afterward, and came to find that the film has won numerous awards, including the Audience Award at the Stockholm Film Festival, and recently nabbed the top prize at the Amsterdam International Film Festival. Solid acting, intriguing story, and great direction power this very unique film. Mans Marlind and Bjorn Stein (the writing/directing team) do a fabulous job with the visuals, they keep the action fun, and tie it all up nicely at the conclusion. This film deserves much more recognition.

Rating: 6/10 Having heard some interesting details about this movie, I just had to see what all the fuss was about. The $3 million budget, a Swedish produced Fantasy-movie. Before I watched this film, I thought that the only genre that Sweden is able to produce was Crime. Well, this movie sure did prove me wrong. The special effects is overwhelming, if you keep the $3 million budget in mind.

Although all this positive critic, I do have some negative one too. The film is very complicated and I couldn't really understand what the plot really was about. Although, an overall good movie which I will recommend to all my friends and you fellows out there.

In "Storm" we have our slacker-hero, DD, who is introduced to us in a humorous way. There is nothing special about him, or so it seems.

The adventure begins when he encounters a mysterious heroine, who constantly fights off mysterious thugs.

There is a supernatural action movie element going through the narrative leading to the reveal of a big secret/twist.

Starting off as lighthearted comedic action entertainment, the story takes an 180 degree turn into the psychological drama direction, which can either elevate or ruin the story for the viewers.

The somewhat inconsistent tone made me care less about the supporting characters but ended up elevating and fleshing-out the protagonist from a funny caricature to a man with depth.

It was an interesting movie, I suggest giving it a chance knowing as little as possible about the story.

The first scenes are really tough and you'll think it's the centerpiece of the Movie because it is followed by the opening credits. It's not the last time you'll be wrong - the story is complex, but it's not too hard to follow its twists.

In the beginning Storm is a very expensive looking SciFi-Thriller, interrupted by scenes of party-goers with their superficial chitchat talks, reforms into a superhero saga, makes the turn to some Silent-Hill-Looking countryside childhood drama and so on.

But don't mind: it is not nonsense, it is a story leading back to some childhood experiences, and there has never been a more cumbersomely but entertaining way of getting to the point.

And I liked very much the tough Eva Röse and the weak Eric Ericson, the usual role models exchanged, running through this set of graphic novels.

My favorite film of the year so far. Bjorn Stein and Mans Marlind are terrific new filmmakers. The overall look of STORM is incredible, and that is with a budget of under $3 million. Can you imagine what they could do with a budget of an American studio movie? I looked up their 'films in production', and saw that they are currently shooting another film called Vilnius, with a budget of around $7 million. I'm ecstatic to see what Mans & Bjorn can do with a higher budget. STORM is a Matrix-type experience...it's unique, it looks great, and is extremely intelligent. STORM will have a very wide appeal, and I am recommending it to everyone I know. Keep an eye on these filmmakers.

I was able to catch this film at AFM, and was truly blown away. Mans Marlind & Bjorn Stein do an excellent job making this unique film visually stunning and extremely entertaining. The Variety review hits the nail on the head when it describes it as "fast paced, visually exciting and with enough good plot twists to satisfy the most jaded film-goer, the picture has all the makings of a cult classic". I couldn't have said it better myself. The acting is also very strong. Eric Ericson is fantastic in his demanding role as DD, and it was great to see Eva Rose in such a tough-girl role. I strongly recommend this film.

After seeing this film, my first reaction was, "Why doesn't this movie have US distribution?" I was extremely impressed with everything about it. I'm shocked there is no US distributor in place, unless something is currently in the works. Compelling story, fun plot twist, good acting - this is a thinking man's film. It is also ripe to be remade as an American film - it could have an extremely wide American audience, and it is a move star vehicle, as DD would make a great role for the top American male actors. Marlind & Stein have an incredible little film here, and the work they did with such a modest budget is a huge testament to their directing chops. One of my favorite films this year.

I was absolutely amazed by what I saw on the screen for such a modestly budgeted film. The directing team of Mans Marlind and Bjorn Stein did an exceptional job with this visually exciting piece. It is disguised as an action/thriller (as the trailer would suggest), but gradually evolves into something different, a multi-layered and intellectually-driven dramatic plot. We follow the story of a troubled young man, DD, who is brilliantly played by actor Eric Ericson. He's on the run from police after some great action sequences, but the movie really gets intriguing when DD is forced to confront his somewhat checkered past. The story was fun, the visuals were great, and there were enough plot twists to keep it compelling throughout. I really loved this film, and think it's the best movie of the year thus far. I strongly recommend it to everyone.

The film begins like a cheap imitation of fast and violent action films, but there's more than that. A fairly normal guy gets involved in some crime/espionage/something else, and you think you know what happens then, but you guess wrong.

It takes some time to figure out what is going on, just like the main character is rather lost for a while. There is something extremely valuable involved in the box that the beginning revolves around. You won't like everything you'll see in the film (or you're rather perverted if you do), but you'll understand at the end. (Oh, and if you understand the end, please tell me.)