The Trip ~ A Non-Spoiler Review

Reading Time: 6 minutes

🇳🇴 THE TRIP 🇳🇴

The Trip (2021) aka I Onde Dager is a new Norwegian Netflix comedy, horror, action, thriller film. 1 hr 53 min. Cert 15 U.K. In Norwegian and some Swedish with English subtitles and dubbing available.

Premise:

“A dysfunctional couple head[s] to a remote cabin to reconnect, but each has intentions to kill the other. Before they can carry out their plans, unexpected visitors arrive and they [are] faced with a greater danger.” IMDb

Cast:

Noomi Rapace as Lisa
Aksel Hennie as Lars
Atle Antonsen as Petter
Christian Rubek as Dave
André Eriksen as Roy
Nils Ole Oftebro as Mikkel
Stig Frode Henriksen as Viktor
Tor Erik Gunstrøm as Hans
Selome Emnetu as Ida

Crew:

Director: Tommy Wirkola
Writers: Tommy Wirkola, Nick Ball & John Niven
Composer: Christian Wibe
Make-Up: Steiner Kaarstein, Elisabeth Mainy plus 12 others
Special Effects: Rick Marr, Per-Kristian Henriksen, Erling Nielsen & Teo Vilsjø
Visual Effects: Bryan Jones plus 5 others
Music: Sølve Huse-Amundsen & Johan Husvik
Stunts: Kristoffer Jørgensen plus 19 others

English-language poster for The Trip (Netflix)

Notes:

Tommy Wirkola is a Norwegian director and writer known for What Happened to Monday (also starring Noomi Rapace), Dead Snow and Dead Snow 2.

Christian Wibe was the composer for all 3 of Tommy Wirkola’s films mentioned above and also The Trip.

Steiner Kaarstein has worked on shows and films such as Utøya – July 22, Borderliner, Monster, What Happened to Monday, Valkyrien, Occupied, The Lion Woman, Nobel, Maniac and Dead Snow 2.

Rick Marr worked on the special effects for these productions amongst others: Lilyhammer, Ragnarok: The Viking Apocalypse, Dead Snow 2, In Order of Disappearance, Wonder Woman, Game of Thrones, 6 Underground and Fast & Furious 9.

Kristoffer Jørgensen was not only stunt coordinator for this film but also appears in it (he’s an actor as well) as Roy’s “likeness”.

Norwegian-language poster of The Trip (Netflix)

Review:

The Trip is a dark comedy horror film. I will just say that again for those at the back… The Trip is a dark comedy HORROR film! If horror is not your “thing”, if you are not into graphic, comic book stylised violence (and implied sexual violence) and a more than slightly crazy sense of humour then there is every chance you will not like this film, at all. Oh, and in keeping with the spirit of full disclosure, there is a plentiful amount of strong language, crude humour, detailed descriptions of bodily functions… so if you are offended by any or all of the above…

The Trip stars the phenomenon that is Noomi Rapace (The Girl with a Dragon Tattoo, Prometheus) with the award-winning Norwegian actor Aksel Hennie (Headhunters, Nobel, The Martian) as the dysfunctional couple, Lisa and Lars.

Noomi Rapace (right) as Lisa and Aksel Hennie (left) as Lars in a scene from The Trip

Lars is a disillusioned director who finds himself working on a soap at the start of the film. To say he is disillusioned is an understatement. Lisa has not worked for ages but is still, in her mind at least, a star. When we meet her she is sporting blonde hair, a pink tracksuit and an attitude. This is our couple who now hate each other so much that they could kill each other.

As soon as Lars makes it a point to tell as many people as he can that he is off to the cabin with his wife who is insisting she will be taking a hike on her own which is very DANGEROUS we know he is up to no good. A trip to a DIY store to buy some useful tools (saw, hammer… you get the idea) and materials reinforces the idea that maybe, just maybe, these are not to do renovations. And Lars has a father, ex-military who is dismissive of his son and all he does.

Atle Antonsen (right) as Petter, Christian Rubek (centre) as Dave and André Eriksen (left) as Roy in a scene from The Trip

To the equation of Lars + Lisa, we can add 3 escaped prisoners who are wandering about somewhere in the Norwegian forest and another couple of unexpected “visitors”.

I will avoid going into precise detail about what happens in The Trip but suffice to say it is a wild journey! Think of the most extreme possibilities that are often slapstick (with a lot of blood), bizarre and well… silly, but silly in a really good way. Over the top, ridiculous violence with one of the most extreme gunshot reactions and imaginative uses of a rotary motor that I have ever witnessed. You will start to look at anything and everything as a possible weapon or device to hurt someone impressively.

Noomi Rapace as Lisa is a scene from The Trip

We get to see Lisa as a true force of nature and Lars becomes (oh, how ironically) the son his father always dreamed of having. You could even say that this has a happy ending, just not for everyone, obviously.

The story is well thought out and the slowish start is necessary to introduce the key characters, their relationship (what relationship? I hear you ask) and the setting. That Lars, for example, cannot bear the thought of touching the raw steak at which point an infuriated Lisa picks it up and lobs it in the frying pan.

The pacing throughout this film is great and you may well find yourself gasping for breath at points as it is unrelenting. The music is used to help set the tone and is very effective in doing so. The cinematography is very strong and there are some great visual sequences, especially the aerial shots and the close quarters action sequences.

The Trip for me is a combination of early Tarantino combined with a great dollop of Guy Ritchie and a side order of In Order of Disappearance. If you are not into dark comedy this will NOT be for you. Without a doubt, this is a very funny film and it had me roaring with laughter at times. The delivery is perfect! Visual humour also abounds. You will start to anticipate certain things happening (remember I said you will start to look at everything as a potential way of hurting someone, badly) and that keeps the tension but also the giggle factor. I think it is safe to say that Tommy Wirkola has what we Brits would call a “bonkers” sense of humour.

This is also (you cannot say I have not warned you) outrageously crude and very violent. There were a lot of “Well, that’s going to hurt in the morning” moments and a lot of wincing by yourself truly.

Kudos must also go to the special effects, visual effects, make-up and stunt team (especially the stunt doubles) who worked on this film. The blood gags are fantastic, the prosthetics world-class and the fight sequences and other stunts are really impressive.

The Trip has fabulous performances by Noomi and Aksel with a great dynamic and on-screen chemistry between them. The rest of the cast are absolutely perfect for their roles. I loved the bad guys, each with their own particular nastiness.

Can I recommend The Trip? Just so long as you know what you are letting yourself in for (don’t come crying to me) The Trip is an absolute trip of a film. The Norwegians certainly seem to have a gift for producing dark, dark comedy and horror. October is THE month for horror movies and this one fits the bill nicely.

Trailer: