Storm (2005)

After viewing both Storm and Let the Right One In within the span of a week, I’m left with a question: What are they putting into the water in Sweden? I’ve always assumed their biggest artistic contribution to the world was ABBA, but it looks like I’m going to have to revise my opinion.

Storm treats viewers to an unfolding mystery which manages to straddle the lines between horror, fantasy and science fiction. While it can sometimes be accused of having more style than substance, the film constantly finds a way to keep the viewer’s interest.

The movie gets started on a high note, as two beautiful women named Lova (Eva Rose) and The Assistant (Lina Englund) attempt to protect a metallic cube from the clutches of a sinister man in a suit (Jonas Karlsson) and his henchmen. After very nearly being burned alive, Lova escapes and encounters Donny “DD” Davidson, the film’s hero.

Donny (Eric Ericson) is a cynical twenty-something who extols the virtues of masturbation and eavesdrops on his neighbors while they make love. From an early age, he’s been unable to feel sensations on his skin, and this condition has led to a certain emotional detachment which Donny wears with smirking pride.

As he narrates his opinions on life and love to the audience, Stockholm is beset by a freak storm. When it abruptly stops, Donny and Lova meet for the first time. Still being pursued by the grease-covered henchman, she jumps into the cab he’s currently occupying–despite his best attempts to keep her out.

While the meeting doesn’t last long, the pair are soon reunited. Things quickly become complicated, as Donny comes into possession of the mysterious cube and also gets framed for murder. And then there’s the bizarre trip into Donny’s subconscious past, where he’s meant to unlock memories which have been long repressed. All the while, the man in the suit is hot on his trail.

Storm is a surreal look at one man coming to terms with events from the past. While we’re never really clear why Lova is so interested in helping Donny, I sensed that the specifics didn’t really matter.

The reasons are left to our own interpretation, and co-directors Mans Marlind and Bjorn Stein seem more concerned with creating a hypnotic dreamscape filled with action and suspense. They certainly succeed in their attempts, as the film has an unique look which manages to visually excite without overwhelming the senses.

You never know what’s going to end up on the screen in Storm; maybe it’ll be a rum bar in Cuba, or perhaps we’ll be transported to a hazy city devoid of human life. Or how about an ultra-stylized world inside the pages of a comic book? Any way you cut it, this film is a visual feast suitable for even the most gluttonous of viewers.

There’s nothing to complain about on the acting front, and lead actor Eric Ericson does a fine job of seeming confused and overwhelmed. As the film progresses, he slowly begins to unlock the secrets of his past, and Ericson displays guilt, shame and defiance with equal talent.

While her role is a small one, I’d also like to single out Sasha Becker as Helena. A haunting goth beauty from Donny‘s past, Helena manages to make us squirm in discomfort with only a few well-placed stammers and facial expressions; that’s really saying something considering the amount of horrors available to modern moviegoers. Kudos to Becker.

In writing this review, I read where someone referred to Storm as a “cheaper Swedish version of the Matrix.” While it does share a similar theme of a man being roused out of his mundane life into a world of danger and intrigue, this film is much more mature in tone. Imagine the Matrix if it dealt with rape, rampant drug use, and the psychological torture of loved ones.

Yeah, there’s definitely something in the water in Sweden.