The Killing II

Kris Nyholm, Charlotte Sieling, & Hans Wullenweber | 2009 | ★★★½
The police come to suspect terrorism when a series of military deaths seems to point towards an Islamist organisation. However, Sarah Lund, brought in as a consultant, finds her suspicions pointing elsewhere, with the military itself proving her main focus. Teaming up with a new partner, she soon finds herself back in her old obsessive ways, even going as far as to travel to Afghanistan in order to uncover the truth. Elsewhere, the investigation sparks a war of words between the Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of Justice, with even the Prime Minister not immune to accusatory glances. Though on paper The Killing II would seem less credible than its predecessor, in practice, with fewer twists and turns, it feels all the more plausible. With Frans Bak’s score used more judiciously and the serial’s editing seeming less obtrusive, its formal elements also prove all the more impressive. However, at half the length, its characterisation and attention to detail might not quite stand up to direct comparison. Never the less, the performances prove just as extraordinary, with Nicolas Bro’s typically full-blooded turn proving the pick.