BLACK CRAB is a Swedist action-thriller featuring a fast skating chase through a future world ripped apart by war. The film, which is currently airing on Netflix, is directed by Adam Berg, and based on a novel by Jerker Virdborg. The action is set in a post-apocalyptic world. Caught up in a civil war, Sweden struggles to cope with a increasingly dangerous invasion.
A soldier named Caroline Edh (Noomi Rapace) volunteers to join a team of five other soldiers on a mission condenamed Black Crab, where they must transport a package across a frozen sea in the hopes that whatever it contains will end the war. They have no idea what dangers are ahead and who they can they trust, including people on their own team.
Risking their lives, they enter the hostile enemy territory to accomplish their mission. Though Caroline is not in charge of the mission, the former skater-turned-soldier is the best skater and she has another reason to be on the mission – to find her young daughter Vanja who got separated from her at the start of the chaos. Whether Caroline will be able to find her lost daughter and complete the Black Crab mission forms the main plot of the story.
Rapace gives a strong performance as Caroline throughout the movie. Her ability to convincingly portray some of the heroic stunts performed by her character proves that she’s more than capable of doing whatever the script calls for, as evidenced by her previous films.
As for the supporting cast, they are not given much to do in the storyline. At one point, you are just waiting for them to be killed one by one so that the story can progress. Black Crab has its moments of slick action scenes, and it cannot be denied that the aesthetic of the film feels very real. The cinematography was also very impressive, as the film offers beautiful scenes of frozen ice and winter nights in a cold blue light.
However, the movie left me with unresolved questions. The quest is simple and the threats are tangible. But we were not provided any details of the plot. Who is the enemy? What was the reason for this war? I feel the absence of these details drops the justification for the mission as viewers are not even aware of the purpose behind their actions. The movie would certainly would have been better if these details were explored rather than just focusing on the success of the mission. If you are passionate about war films, I would recommend watching Black Crab.
Personally, while this movie was fairly engaging, it falls under the category of a predictable story. It is not a movie I would want to watch again, despite its strong first half and decent ending.
Black Crab is now available to watch on Netflix.
Director: Adam Berg
Cast: Noomi Rapace, Aliette Opheim and Dar Salim.
E-VALUE: 6
ACTING: 7
PLOT: 6
