Las marismas

La "depka" islandesa en su totalidad, es decir, la atmósfera apropiada, el clima sombrío, la naturaleza inhóspita, los personajes principales propensos al suicidio, el asesinato brutal, el misterio del pasado. Un cóctel tentador e impresionante que Kormákur mezcló, en el cual me sumergí después de "2 Guns" y así me he preparado para experiencias cinematográficas de calidad. (15.12.2013)

Una película de detectives bien oscura con una atmósfera única. El paulatino desentrañamiento del misterio por la visita de uno y otro habitante, que tiene algo que ver con él y con su información mueve a los asombrados detectives un paso más allá, se ve reforzado por el hundimiento cada vez más profundo en la dureza y el aislamiento del entorno nórdico. Una película con una aspecto audiovisual excelente, que no atraerá a muchos turistas a Islandia. (25.02.2015)

I think Kormákur has slightly overstepped the pursuit of a pure Nordic detective story into hyper-gritty and hyper-tragic stylization, which does not seem very credible, especially towards the end. Otherwise, it is beautifully filmed, equipped with a stylish get-up and, above all, fabulously cast. All they had to do was push a little less and let the atmosphere and interesting characters do the talking. The director is undoubtedly talented and full of healthy energy, but Jar City just doesn’t manage to always stretch it in the ideal direction. Anyway, it's an interesting account of Icelandic identity. (25.07.2011)

In Jar City everything is exactly as it should be, nothing is leaking, overflowing or missing. It's the type of film that few will dismiss, but it's hard to remember years later. It's just a good raw crime drama, and sympathetically believable at its core; within the confines of the genre, of course. (29.03.2008)

It is quite unbelievable that Iceland, with around three hundred thousand inhabitants, can regularly produce films that surpass much more populous nations and established cinema. Jar City has everything that belongs to a modern crime thriller and what I appreciate in this genre. It has a believable story, with well-developed characters, tension, and above all, an atmosphere created by both the contemplative stark and yet beautiful Nordic landscape, and the dark music where the important element is played by a male choir. The cinematography also deserves recognition, as it creates stylistic shots reminiscent of Fincher's style, and sometimes plays with shocking details, whether in a medical laboratory or when discovering the victim. As the icing on the cake, it provides specific Nordic humor that is unlikely to be found in mainstream American crime films. The film is not action-packed, and the only chase scene turns into a farce when the perpetrator, a robust thug, realizes after a few dozen meters that he is being pursued by a short-statured police officer, and they soon exchange roles. National specificities are highlighted in the plot, for example, when it turns out that in desolate Iceland, everyone knows everyone. Overall impression: 80%. (10.10.2010)