Greyzone a Swedish-Danish Thriller ~ Spoiler Review

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Photo montage of scenes and poster from Greyzone — Photo Credits: C More

🇸🇪 Greyzone ~ Spoiler Review🇩🇰
by Gina Meardon

Greyzone is a Danish and Swedish collaboration TV show on Walter Presents (ALL4) UK. It is also available on Amazon Prime Video. Language: Danish and Swedish with English Subtitles. 10 x 45 minute episodes. 2018 thriller series.

“Greyzone is a character-driven drama and thriller series about the events leading to a terror attack in Scandinavia.”

Cast:

Birgitte Hjort Sørensen ~ Victoria Rahbek
Ardalen Esmaili ~ Iyad Adi Kassar
Joachim Fjelstrup ~ Jesper Lassen
Tova Magnusson ~ Eva Forsberg
Lars Ranthe ~ Henrik Dalum
Johan Rabaeus ~ Lars Björklund
Virgil Katring-Rasmussen ~ Oskar Rahbek Lindsbye

Introduction:

Greyzone is a contemporary hi tech thriller with action that switches effortlessly between locations in Denmark, Sweden and Germany. At times fast-paced with palpable tension and anxiety but at others a slow-burn thereby allowing character relationships to develop and evolve.

The Plot:

This drama is high octane from the ‘Off’. When a warhead from a service to air missile is found in Gothenburg, hidden in a secret compartment in a lorry from Denmark. SAPO (Swedish Security Services) investigate a possible terrorist threat, alongside PET, their Danish counterparts.

The trail leads back to Denmark and Eva Forsberg (SAPO) and Jesper Lassen (PET) join together in the hunt for the men behind the smuggled warhead. However, by the end of episode 1 realisation dawns that in fact two warheads were stolen in Greece, and therefore one is still missing and is somewhere in Sweden.

Meanwhile, Danish single parent, Victoria Rahbek, is a high-flyer at SparrowSat, a company which has developed a ‘state-of-the-art’ high tech drone flight controller called “the Bat” a ‘brain’. “The Bat” is the most advanced, sophisticated drone ever created and it has the potential to be modified for military use. Victoria has been instrumental in its development.

During a presentation in Frankfurt to promote “The Bat” she meets an old University friend, Iyad Adi Kassar. They strike up an conversation and he asks her for an interview for his online technology magazine Futuretech. She agrees, not realising the turn her life is about to take, as he proves to be anything but a journalist

Photo from Greyzone showing Iyad (Ardalan Esmaili) on Left, a wall between and Victoria (Birgitte Hjort Sôrensen) on Right. Both are turned slightly towards each other. — Photo Credit: C More

This then is the basis for the drama that unfolds in Greyzone. Essentially this tense thriller revolves around the security police tracking down and securing the missing warhead before it can be used in an act of terrorism.

The title Greyzone relates however to the complex relationship that evolves between Victoria, the captive and Iyad, the captor. This relationship becomes even more complicated with the unexpected return home to Copenhagen of Oskar, Victoria’s 6-year-old son, following the shortening of a holiday to Paris with his father.

The terrorists need “The Bat” from Sparrowsat to enable the warhead, and they need Victoria to make this happen. Iyad’s role is to ensure that this is done. Understandably Rebekah is not at all willing to co-operate at first. She finds herself caught between helping the police and helping Iyad in an effort to protect her young son from harm. But then, unexpectedly, child and terrorist begin to bond.

Iyad is not a ‘terrorist’ in the true sense of the word. He is not driven by ideology, but something altogether more human. Oskar, triggers long suppressed memories and Iyad then has difficult choices to make……

Conclusion:

Greyzone is tense and nail-biting to the very end. I found it compulsive binge-watch viewing. Violent and brutal at times, tragic and heart-breaking at others. Superb acting by all the lead actors, especially Ardalan Esmaili’s portrayal of the conflicted Iyad, strong female performances especially from Birgitte Hjort Sorensen, and a truly exceptional performance by Virgil Katring-Rasmussen as the little boy Oskar as his relationship and trust with Iyad develops. Rated 7.4 by IMDB I would have rated it a sound 8 or higher.

Review by Gina Meardon

Link to trailer:

https://youtu.be/yvMkpU1CgR8

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