I'm sure Denmark is a very nice country but after years of watching there excellent crime dramas I'm beginning to wonder if every other person is a psychotic violent killer! It can't be easy for the writers to come up with original ways to portray psychological serial killers but they do a pretty good job with Darkness those who kill. As always the detective heading the case and his assistant in this case a criminal psychologist played by the stunning Natalie Madurio have there own personal problems to deal with. I particularly enjoyed the opening of each episode which shows brief flashbacks of the perpetrators early lives and how it went towards turning out the way they did. All in all a very fine addition to the Nordic Noir genre. 8/10
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peterrichboy20 September 2019
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Tweekums24 September 2019This eight part Danish crime drama is centred on Jan Michelsen, a detective, and Louise Bergstein, a profiler. He has been working on the case of a missing woman, although after six months most people assume she is dead. Then a second woman of similar appearance vanishes. Desperate to solve the case he brings Louise in to help. Her profile leads to another, older, missing person's case... and the body from that case. While we observe their investigation we also see what is happening to the kidnapped woman and learn that she actually has two captors.
When I saw this advertised I wondered if it was a remake or a sequel to the earlier 'Those Who Kill', from 2011... in fact it is neither. It is thematically linked by the detective/profiler pairing, although the genders were the other way round in the previous series. Early on one might expect this to be a whodunit but we learn that very quickly; that doesn't make it any less interesting; it is an impressive psychological thriller that isn't afraid to use horror tropes as we are shown how the victims are treated. There is a real sense of danger both for the victims and our investigators. Kenneth M. Christensen and Natalie Madueño impress as Jan and Louise but it is Signe Egholm Olsen who stands out as Stine Velin, one of the kidnappers who despite outward appearances seems to be the more frightening of the two. The rest of the cast are solid too. Overall I'd certainly recommend this to fans of Nordic crime thrillers.
These comments are based on watching the series in Danish with English subtitles. -
Vindelander21 February 2021I'd say this is as good as The Bridge and The Killing. Exciting throughout with great plot and acting and no time to look at a clock. Danish thriller at its best.
The only minor criticism is that some of the syncing of the fight and shooting scenes was a bit out but that's being very picky.
Come on season 2 !! -
brettroche521 September 2019This is the first review I have done and I felt compelled to do so.
A breathtaking series.
I do not want to give anything away, so will just say.
Take a deep breath, watch and enjoy.
On a technical note - very good subtitles in English. The words fitted the intonation etc of the actors.
You will not want to miss this one!! -
ib011f9545i31 May 2021Channel 4 in the UK boasts that it shows a lot of foreign drama but BBC 4 shows quality foreign drama like this series.
Our government is leaning on the BBC to reduce costs and BBC 4 might disappear soon but until then it brings us dramas such as this.
No plot spoilers but this is a tense drama set in rural Denmark.
If this was American or on Netflix people would rave about how good it was but believe me it is good even if you have never heard of it. -
Bauer0829 September 2019The series starts out like a welcome sequel in tone and style to The Bridge. Acting seems solid and the plotline is also promising. Then we start experiencing the glaring mistakes and strange holes in both plotline and the psyche of the main characters. The clearly psychopathic female killer is suddenly gripped by fear and panic when she finds out her accomplice is wanted by the police. Later she displays the classic "crazy eyes" everytime she is doing something sadistic. Watch just a few serial killer interviews or documentaries, and you'll understand that real, deeply psychopathic killers don't get gripped by panic or necessarily put on a "crazy face". In fact, their most chilling character trait is their LACK of an emotional response during stressful episodes. The killer is also in an abusive relationship where she is presented as the submissive party - which is completely out of character for a controlling, manipulative and sadistic psychopath. Unfortunately, the writers had to present her this way to surprise us with a plot twist (the fact that she is the brains behind the atrocities). Our heroic psychologist also points out that when the female killer is looking at the police officer during interrogation, she's bring truthful - while lying when looking down or to the side. Absolute nonsense, since compulsive liars actually often keep an even more intense eye contact when they are lying, simply to "sell" their lies more convincingly. The last two episodes are a mess. From illogical police activity (waiting outside the house of the last showdown instead of going in) and convenient fumbles (losing the killer while in costody) to keep the plot moving forward. It could have been a really good show with a surprising end - especially if they had done their homework and let the killer behave like an actual sadistic psychopath. But the writers were either lazy or uninformed, so we end up with a run-of-the-mill ending and a predictable plotline
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SB10022 September 2019Well acted and well scripted. I'm not sure how realistic the police work shown is but there are always compromises needed for a drama series. Excellent colloquial subtitles.
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markfranh7 May 2021My wife and I enjoyed season 1 but we both found Season 2 disappointing due to the serious flaws in the plot.
The island of Funen in Denmark has a population of around 500,000 people with about 200,000 of them living in Odense. All of the action in the series takes place outside of Odense and around various locations on Denmark's second largest island. And yet not once, not twice, but a total of three times, our hero and our villain manage to bump into each other as they go about their day to day activities in three different locations. I don't mind maybe one minor coincidence in a story but the same coincidence three different times just seems ridiculous. I'm afraid this just spoiled the whole series for us and especially when it was so unnecessary.
Also couldn't quite figure out the point of introducing David into the story early on, especially when played by a major Danish actor, when it amounted to nothing (admittedly still one episode to watch so maybe I'm missing an unexpected twist). -
cjonesas8 April 2021A remake of the Original and brilliant Danish 2011 series. "Den som dræber - Fanget af mørket" doesn't disappoint and is bright in its own way; Especially, over the course of its tremendous season 1, which had me adrenaline rushing through my veins like crazy in many occasions.
- (+) Very good acting by the protagonists, the captives (fear oozing from their pores. Kudos!) and supporting cast. Brilliant acting by the antagonists and I mean it; first and foremost, (in season 1) the damaged, devilish and manipulative Stine (Signe Egholm Olsen) who did an awesomely believable job and the harming but naive Anders (Mads Riisom). (In season 2) the crown goes to Peter (Tobias Santelmann) and Karina (Helle Fagralid) who dedicated themselves to their characters, were also very believable and their acting worthy.
- (+) Very good screenplays & plots and amazing flow with heart-racing suspense, especially in season 1.
- (-) Some light melodrama for the sake of fillers, regarding mostly the bland character of Louise (Natalie Madueño), which acted as brakes on the flowing thrill of the show. She sort of was the worst part of the show with no charisma and engaging personality. Had she had the brilliancy of Signe Egholm Olsen, we would have gotten a near-flawless Crime series with a rating of above 9.
*Jan (Kenneth M. Christensen) didn't really count, despite being the main detective in season 1. As one user pointed out, his acting was too woody and generalized unpersonal. For me, as soon as I saw that he couldn't do better and was constantly in a state of electrified suppressed anger, despise and disgust (with his own life and behaviors), I forgot about him and he was of no more importance to me.
In the end, highly recommended to fans of Nordic Noir Crime series, especially, the Danish ones. Hope, there would be a third season, it has the potential for it.- Screenplay/story: 8.5
- Development: 8.8
- Realism: 8.8
- Entertainment: 9.2
- Acting: 9
- Filming/cinematography: 8.5
- Visual/special effects: 8
- Music/score: 8
- Depth: 8.5
- Logic: 7.5
- Flow: 8.8
- Suspense/thrill: 9
- Ending/closure: 8.
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martimusross30 September 2019Darkness: Those That Kill
Whilst reasonably entertaining at the time with reflection there were lots of problems with this production. Nordic Noir has several key formulaic principles that ramp up the suspense and drama in basically a simple cops and robbers story. This show left the path and became baggy and slow and was just a shadow of what it could have been.
Problematic Areas- the serial killers were just not sophisticated or indeed interesting they were largely opportunistic morons and they were revealed to the viewer too early in the plot.
- the cops both Jan and the psychologist Louise were bland, I was sick to death of small talk over an unfinished bathroom.
- the script was insufficiently inventive to hold the viewers attention over 8 long episodes.
- we had a vestigial investigative trail with little forensics, a key part of Nordic Noir, this made the show appear low budget.
- the women's shelter element was an unnecessary diversion that could have been cut out.
- The script just wasn't very tight so we had a lack of narrative drive or suspense
- Coercive behaviour on this level really is not sufficient to justify the concealment of multiple murders, so we all knew from the start there were two murderers.
- The actor that played Jan was stiff as a board also we all know that the average policemen are very well paid in Denmark at £48k per year and as a detective he would be paid £64k, so a shared room in a student flat is ridiculous.
Lastly when Jan stayed overnight at Louise's he was seen putting a pillowcase on the cheapest shredded foam pillow, quite absurd in Denmark to believe they have these nasty cheap pillows at all.....lol -
vonsausage21 September 2019Signe Olsen gives a great chilling performance as the psychopath Stine.Enjoyed this gripping series very much and hope there are plans for series 2.
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Season 2: 8 Season 3: 7
The series builds a good character in the form of the perpetrator, who is sublimely cast. When they stick to the case, it's a good solid nordic noir crime story, but when they go around focusing on the different characters' privacy and background, it works far from as sharp.
Natalie Madueño plays okay, but can not carry a story arc on her shoulders. It's the crime story that's the main character here, not the characters.
Ep 1: Beautiful locations. Yes, they have enough to charge the burglar, even if they wanted to charge the wrong one. Simon Sears is back as a cop after Shorta (2020)
Ep 2: A somewhat better episode - more background on Bjørn, and you understand his motivation. Alex Høgh Andersen is also playing somewhat better than expected. Very nicely subdued and violent.
EP3: Really nice postponement, but don't understand why Frederik Havgaard himself goes into the forest, Instead of calling an extra patrol.
EP4: New approach than the previous seasons, the killer is now dead, and the question then depends on who took the baby. Exciting approach. A minus is the wretched character of the investigator from Vestegnen's police. Another minus is that the episode occasionally loses pace on the floor.
Ep5: Three years later - very unexpected. We don't know who took the baby. New case, which at least has a small thread back to one of the owners of the residence where Maria and Bjørn lived as children.
Ep7: Nice and suspenseful episode. It is clear to see that Louise is not trained, because she makes several mistakes. Near-death experience when she is almost burned inside train carriages at Breidablik. Gets bailed out by Jon at the last minute. Presumably so that he could build up goodwill.
EP8: Solid end of the season. The season will be closed nicely with the possibility of a return to Breidablik, but this is not necessary
Season 3 ratings Ep 1: 6/10 Ep 2: 8/10 Ep 3: 8/10 Ep 4: 7/10 Ep 5: 8/10 Ep 6: 7/10 Ep 7: 8/10 Ep 8: 7/10. -
It was surprisingly entertaining and well-acted. It has a very refreshing story of a serial killer who targets male victims. It's kind of similar to the british The Fall (2013) in its structure in the way that we know who the killer is from the beginning but that doesn't take from the suspense. Towards the last couple of episodes there were some serious plotholes which annoyed me... When it's only one or two I can ignore it, but they started to pile up. However, I can still fully recommend this series because it was entertaining from beginning to end.
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Great actors, good atmosphere and a real thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat. And of course, beautifully filmed. Some of the actors are well known from other movies and series, really showing the world the diversity of their talent(especially Jan the main police character). The style of the series is quite unique, as you follow both the killer as well as the investigators from the beginning. This made us wonder if they could keep things interesting, as opposed to your standard who done it. They did pull it off, with two very original bad guys.
The only dissappointment is it got a little corny in the end. Stine that could so easily escape, really? And was able to kill the police guards at the summer house? Mikkel's daughter was not guarded/in hiding? Stine was overpowered by Jan in the summerhouse despite having a gun? The sappy psychological help request made by Jan on Emma's behalf, really? Come on now, y'all can do better.
What I really liked about the plot, is how Stine played her family members in the end. She made them realize they are selfish pricks that ruined her life, but also how fake they were towards eachother.
Must see! -
ErikRF15 December 2023In the first part of the season a young man is seeking revenge on the people who failed to look after him as a kid. This is a fine enough plotline. The problem is that the police work is terrible. They fail to take any preemptive action, such as thinking that maybe he will contact his only remaining family, or his old school teacher. This half season ends with the boy randomly assaulting our main character outside her home. Luckily a policeman was there and shot him. Not exactly a well-deserved or statisfying result to this 3-hours of drama.
Skipping ahead. There is a lady (Alberta) who benefits on killing (directly or through neglect) her patients and robbing them. We know she is a psychopat, from many sources. Even so, our main character decides to move in on their farm collective, and immediately goes snooping around in the personal items of the suspects there. First of all, this is extremely out of character as our main character is afraid of her own shadow, and sometimes afraid to enter her own apartment. Suddenly she is fine as an undercover agent? Secondly, she is clearly risking her life here - she will predictably be attempted murdered - and there is no way the police would allow this strategy.
The owner of the collective farm (Jon) is a manipulative serial child and women abuser and rapist, and several people know this. But when the police finally take action, they only arrest the aforementioned lady, who he used as a scapegoat. Not Jon. No cross-examining of eveyone on the farm, and everyone who lived there, which is the obvious procedure in a case of attempted murder and abuse, and which with high certainty would have yielded enough information for a conviction. They are instead content with sending the one officer to interrupt Jon's dinner, make some vague insinuations, and leave.
I could go on, but you probably get the point. Terrible plot, mainly due to the garbage policework and very unrealistic development. Cinematography, dialogue and acting give three stars. -
nicholls_les1 July 2021OK I know there were major plot holes and the end stretched reality, but overall this was a good thriller, well acted throughout. For me this is much better than most English dramas I have seen lately.
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crumpytv22 May 2021Darkness: Those Who Kill I didn't see how revealing a major identity in the first episode could be sustainable as a thriller for seven more, but they just about got away with it.
However, this was reliant on some major holes in the plot. Alice makes preparation for an entrapment and yet is totally unprepared come the time. How did Peter find the knife in the water in the dark amidst a furious fight?? Sloppy. -
mosquitobite2 August 2021The perp plays his role really well, his r ships with co workers family & cop all add to the suspense...I easily binged this over a couple of days
Not sure what people are complaining about re the ending seemed fine to me.
I mean it's a tv show ffs relax & enjoy ... it's suitably icky as nordic noir should be but not gratuitous despite the grim opening.
Recommended!
Edit...watched season 1 last liked season 2 best! -
iGlad23 September 2019All I can gather from the Scandinavian crime dramas is that 1. There's a lot of child abuse involved 2. All black females usually end up dead and are prostitutes 3. All refugees come from Pakistan or Afghanistan and live in a refuge 4. The main cop has a relationship problem 5. The Danes have nice big houses/flats which are exquisitely decorated. 6. Serial killers get treated like they've got a speeding ticket. 7. The same actors keep appearing in shows 8. There's a lot of violence against women a hell of a lot. 9. Women don't use Uber to go to work early in the morning they walk. 10. Not that many people ride a bike.
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mbazhome16 May 2021I've seen two seasons so far and hope there will be more. Very compelling plot, well acted, well shot, well written. It's a different cast of characters and location for each season, except the main character the profiler is in both seasons. Very detailed but doesn't drag on and on. Watched on Acorn. I give it a 9/10.
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Don't get me wrong-you may be able to plot through the first few episodes & be somewhat entertained. Eventually, though, the demands on you to suspend your reality will hurt.
It's about a serial-abductor of teen girls. The local detectives do a good job finding bodies & fingering a suspect.
To add to the multitude of errors already documented here at IMDB:
1. We know the abductor is a troubled ex-con named Andersen, whose habit is to dump the girls he kidnaps into a Lake. If a vehicle is involved, he burns the car. In episode 3, he uses his girlfriend's car for disposal. How does SHE get around after that?
2. The cops hold off on going public with their info in case, hoping the thug will slip into the funeral of a victim. He doesn't, but his female partner does. Somehow, she streams the event to her sicko boyfriend. We do not see a camera ANYWHERE on her person. Quite a trick! When the funeral is over, though, still no press conference. This guy is a dangerous unemployed thug. Why wouldn't the police now act? He should be easy to catch, what with the can of gasoline in hand for the next car he burns.
6/10. I hear the police get dumber as we get along. Oh well, nice scenery & camera work. -
lasseman599 May 2021Now seen both seasons and both are good. However, think that season 2 is clearly the best.
In season 1, Kenneth M. Christensen and a few others ruined the overall impression.
In season 2, pieces fall into place, both in terms of storry and role performance. -
I loved everything about this series ( season 1) except the stupid writers. There were so many coincidences that I lost track. For example: Louise, the profiler, did not meet the killer once, not twice, no three times and she slept with him once. Sorry, but this is pathetic. The writers need to get an IQ in double digits. Hoping season 2 is better written.
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jaz-1555219 April 2020The first episodes were OK, but due to very unprofessional police work, it became a bit unrealistic, the bad guy Anders showed up at nearly all the crime scenes nobody noticed him and he was always 2 steps ahead of the police. At the funeral of Natasha, the police was available with several officers and detectives, but nobody checked the people who attended, they were only checking for Anders. He even could manage to adduct Louise in front of the house of the decoy. They were very late in putting out an APB to the public, and the last episode was ridicules, Stine (the partner in crime) could escape at the grounds of the police station, as she was transported to prison, while she was wearing handcuffs. Then she shows-up at the schoolyard of her niece, again nobody is watching and she finds out the whereabouts of her parents and brother. She manages to kill 2 police men and enters the house, Detective Jan finds out that she's there and that the 2 police watchmen do not reply anymore, instead of directly sending backup to that house, he drives himself to that location enters the house, has various opportunities to shoot Stine, but instead he hands over his gun and starts a discussion with her. After Stine has been knockout, Louise runs as first into the room, unarmed, while 2 armed policemen enter later. Very unprofessional
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boov4330 August 2021I love shows about murder cases and this is one of the best.