Detective: 137

The seventh installment in the film series was theatrically released in Norway. Since then, all titles have been made available on both DVD and Blu-ray. The first of these films, directed by Stefan Faldbakken who is known for his commercial work, was titled Varg Veum – The Writing On The Wall (2010) or Skriften på veggen. Veum, who used to work as a private investigator, has now found a permanent job as a teacher and is happily settled down with his new girlfriend Karin. However, his peaceful life takes a turn when he is confronted with his bitter enemy ‘The ...

Based on the detective stories by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Sherlock (2010–2017) is a British television series that follows the adventures of Sherlock Holmes. Developed by Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss, the show stars Benedict Cumberbatch as Holmes and Martin Freeman as Watson. Spanning thirteen episodes, it consists of four three-part series that aired from 2010 to 2017, along with a special episode on 1 January 2016. While the ...

The Canadian drama film, Incendies (2010), was directed by Denis Villeneuve and co-written by Valérie Beaugrand-Champagne. After their mother Nawal’s passing, Jeanne and her twin brother Simon seek the guidance of Jean Lebel, a French Canadian notary who was close to their family. In her will, Nawal mentions a broken promise that has resulted in her not receiving a proper burial unless Jeanne and Simon locate their previously unknown brother and supposedly deceased father. Two letters are left behind for them: one for their father and one for their brother. While ...

Shutter Island (2010) is a gripping neo-noir psychological thriller directed by Martin Scorsese and adapted by Laeta Kalogridis from the novel of the same name by Dennis Lehan. The film follows U.S. Marshal Edward ‘Teddy’ Daniels and his new partner Chuck Aule as they are sent to investigate the disappearance of patient Rachel Solando at Ashecliffe Hospital for the criminally insane on Shutter Island, Boston Harbor. Despite encountering resistance from the hospital staff, particularly from psychiatrist Dr. John ...

Produced, edited, and directed by Juan José Campanella, The Secret in Their Eyes (2009) is an Argentine-Spanish crime drama film based on Eduardo Sacheri’s novel La pregunta de sus ojos. In 1974, judiciary agent Benjamin Espósito investigates the rape and murder of Liliana Colotto de Morales. He vows to her husband Ricardo to find the killer and ensure a life sentence. As he delves into the case with his partner Pablo Sandoval, who struggles with alcoholism, they are joined by their new department chief Irene Menéndez-Hastings. Espósito’s rival Romano ...

The Swedish-Danish-German production, The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets’ Nest (2009), was directed by Daniel Alfredson and written by Ulf Rydberg. It is based on the novel of the same name by Stieg Larsson. Following the events in The Girl Who Played with Fire, computer hacker Lisbeth Salander is taken to a hospital in Gothenburg to recover from gunshot wounds inflicted by her father, crime boss Alexander Zalachenko. Mikael Blomkvist, a journalist whom Salander had previously assisted, continues his efforts to clear her ...

The Girl Who Played with Fire (2009) is a Swedish-Danish-German crime thriller film directed by Daniel Alfredson and based on the novel of the same name by Swedish writer Stieg Larsson. It serves as a sequel to The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2009) and follows Lisbeth Salander, who returns to Sweden after a year abroad. She reconnects with her ex-girlfriend Miriam Wu and allows her to stay in her old apartment. Later, Salander confronts her former abusive guardian Nils Bjurman after hacking into his email. She discovers that he has made an appointment with a ...

The Swedish-Danish crime thriller film, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2009), was directed by Niels Arden Oplev and produced by Søren Stærmose. It is based on the 2005 novel of the same name by Stieg Larsson. In December 2002, journalist Mikael Blomkvist, publisher of independent magazine Millennium, is sentenced to three months in prison after losing a libel case involving unproven allegations against billionaire financier Hans-Erik Wennerström. To investigate Blomkvist’s background, Henrik Vanger, patriarch of the wealthy Vanger family, hires Lisbeth ...

Starring Robert Downey Jr. as the iconic detective, Sherlock Holmes (2009) is a period mystery action film based on the works of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Set in 1890 London, the story follows Holmes and his partner Dr. John Watson as they thwart a ritualistic murder committed by Lord Henry Blackwood, a notorious killer who has already claimed five victims. Thanks to the efforts of Inspector Lestrade and the police, Blackwood is apprehended and arrested. Fast forward two months later, and Watson, who is now engaged to Mary Morstan, eagerly prepares to move out of their ...

Premiering on CBS on September 22, 2009, NCIS: Los Angeles (2009–2023) is an American action crime drama that combines elements of military and police genres. It centers around the Office of Special Projects, a specialized branch of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service in Los Angeles that focuses on undercover assignments. This is the first spin-off of the successful series NCIS and the second installment in the franchise. The team is led by Special Agents Sam Hanna and Grisha Callen, who both work undercover under the guidance of Operations Manager Henrietta ‘Hetty’ Lange. Sam, an ex-Navy SEAL and dedicated family man, and Callen, a former ...

The popular American drama television series, The Mentalist (2008–2015), aired on CBS from September 2008 to February 2015, with a total of 151 episodes over seven seasons. It was created and executive produced by Bruno Heller and centers around the character Patrick Jane, an independent consultant for the California Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in Sacramento. Despite not being a law enforcement official, Jane utilizes his skills as a former fraudulent psychic medium to assist the CBI team in solving murders. His true motive for working with law enforcement is to seek revenge against Red John, the serial killer ...

Directed by Alexander Eik and released straight to DVD, the sixth film entitled Varg Veum – Buried Dogs (2008) follows a series of events in Bergen that have heightened racial tension. It all starts with the tragic death of a young black asylum seeker at the hands of police, followed by a shooting at a public rally targeting a right-wing politician and resulting in his wife’s death. As the Party prepares for an upcoming leadership election, Marit Holm, one of the candidates, turns to Varg Veum for help claiming she is being stalked. Varg soon finds himself entangled in a complex web of deceit and treachery ...

The fifth installment in the series, Varg Veum – The Woman in the Fridge (2008), was helmed by director Alexander Eik and distributed directly to DVD. Private detective Veum is hired by an international oil drilling company to investigate the disappearance of one of their employees, Arne. During his search, he stumbles upon a disturbing discovery: a woman’s torso hidden in Arne’s apartment fridge. Before he can gather more clues, Veum is suddenly assaulted and rendered unconscious. By the time he regains consciousness, the police have arrived on the scene, but the limbless body has mysteriously ...

The fourth installment, Varg Veum – Fallen Angels (2008), was helmed by Morten Tyldum, who gained recognition for his 2011 adaptation of Jo Nesbø’s novel Headhunters. It was released in theaters. A chance encounter with his former classmates in the band Camp brings complications for Veum. Matters are further complicated when he reconnects with his former love, Rebecca, now married to Jakob, the frontman of the band and Varg’s friend. The city is plagued by a series of murders involving young girls dressed in white and hanged in a bizarre manner. ...

Varg Veum – Yours Until Death (2008), the third film in Varg Veum’s series, was helmed by award-winning director Erik Richter Strand. Unlike his previous works, this one bypassed theaters and went straight to DVD. While Varg has encountered numerous women as a private investigator, none have been able to hold his interest for long. However, when he meets Wenche Andresen while searching for her missing husband’s car, he thinks she may be different. Unfortunately, Jonas is found dead and Wenche becomes the main suspect. Refusing to believe that a woman with traditional values on love and loyalty ...

Erik Richter Strand, a multi-award winning director from both Europe and the United States, helmed the second installment of Varg Veum – Sleeping Beauty (2008). This particular film went straight to DVD. The story kicks off in Copenhagen, as Varg Veum stumbles upon Lisa, a teenage prostitute and daughter of a wealthy businessman. Bringing her back to his client’s home in Norway, Veum is approached by concerned neighbors who ask for his help in locating their missing son Peter, who happens to be Lisa’s close friend. Initially hesitant, Veum’s resolve changes ...

Antonio Campos’ Afterschool (2008) is a gripping psychological drama starring Ezra Miller in their first film role. While working on a project at a private school, Robert, an internet video-obsessed teen, stumbles upon the tragic death of twin sisters who ingested rat poison-laced drugs. Instead of seeking help, Robert sits with the girls as they pass away, the heartbreaking scene captured by both his camera and another student’s cell phone. Viewers are only shown this from behind Robert’s back, unable to witness the girls’ demise but hearing their ...

The film Hope (2007) by Stanisław Mucha follows a German-Polish drama, starring a young man named Franciszek. In the midst of recording footage, he captures a respected art historian stealing a valuable painting from a church. With this evidence in hand, Franciszek attempts to manipulate the thief but his actions seem illogical as he shows no interest in financial gain. Instead, he insists that the artwork be returned to its rightful home. His strong principles are often unsettling to those around him – even his girlfriend has experienced his peculiar ways through his bizarre ‘tests of courage’.

Paul Haggis wrote and directed the American crime drama film, In the Valley of Elah (2007). The story follows Hank Deerfield, a retired military police sergeant living in Monroe, Tennessee with his wife Joan. On November 1, 2004, Hank receives news that his son Mike, a soldier who had recently returned from Iraq, is missing. Determined to find him, Hank makes the trip to New Mexico where Mike’s base is located. Along the way, he stops to help a school custodian raise the American flag correctly. At Fort Rudd, he meets Mike’s squad and manages to sneak away with his son’s cell phone from his belongings. ...

Gone Baby Gone (2007), an American neo-noir thriller, marks the directorial debut of Ben Affleck. Adapted from Dennis Lehane’s 1998 novel by Affleck and Aaron Stockard, the film is set in Dorchester, Boston. Private investigators Patrick Kenzie and Angie Gennaro are drawn into a search for four-year-old Amanda, whose mother Helene McCready pleads for her safe return on television. When Helene’s sister and brother-in-law hire the detectives to find Amanda, they ...