Department Q: A Conspiracy of Faith (2016)

Two intertwined cases linking the past with the present will require the aid of Department Q to catch an elusive serial killer, while time is running out.

Director:

Hans Petter Moland

Writers:

Nikolaj Arcel, Jussi Adler-Olsen (novel)

Stars:

Nikolaj Lie Kaas, Fares Fares, Pål Sverre Hagen

2 wins & 11 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Nikolaj Lie Kaas	...	Carl Mørck
Fares Fares	...	Assad
Pål Sverre Hagen	...	Johannes
Jacob Lohmann	...	Elias (as Jakob Ulrik Lohmann)
Amanda Collin	...	Rakel
Johanne Louise Schmidt	...	Rose Knudsen
Jakob Oftebro	...	Pasgård
Signe Anastassia Mannov	...	Lisa
Søren Pilmark	...	Marcus Jacobsen
Michael Brostrup	...	Børge Bak
Morten Kirkskov	...	Lars Bjørn
Olivia Terpet Gammelgaard	...	Magdalena
Jasper Møller Friis	...	Samuel (as Jasper Friis Møller)
Louis Sylvester Larsen	...	Trygve
Lotte Andersen	...	Mia

Storyline

An old note is found in a bottle in Jutland which has traveled very long across the ocean a long time ago. The note is hard to decipher, but when the Danish investigator from Section Q receives it, the odd personalities within the section find a new angle on it and try to unveil yet another old and diabolic case even though the lead is cold.

---

Plot Keywords:

danish | denmark | missing child | child abduction | religion | 

---

Genres:

Drama | Thriller

---

Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Official Sites:

Official site [Japan]

Country:

Denmark Germany Sweden Norway

Language:

Danish Norwegian

Release Date:

17 June 2016 (USA)

Also Known As:

Department Q: A Conspiracy of Faith

Filming Locations:

Denmark

Box Office

Budget:

DKK 39,500,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Zentropa Entertainments20, Det Danske Filminstitut, Film i Väst

Technical Specs

Runtime:

112 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital Dolby Surround 7.1 Dolby Atmos

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Biggest opening weekend for a Danish film since 2010 with 154,215 tickets sold.

---

Goofs

When Elias and the policeman buy train tickets they are supposed to be in the Danish town Hadsten. But outside the train station is a German phone booth from Deutsche Telekom. Also German road posts are clearly visible during several road scenes. Film was shot in Schleswig Holstein (northern part of Germany) due to financial reasons.

---

Quotes

Carl Mørck: The Lord's Disciples believe Jesus was born in Texas. We're obviously dealing with retards.

---

Connections

Followed by The Purity of Vengeance (2018)

---

Soundtracks

No Mas
(L. Woodrose)
Performed by Baby Woodrose
(P) Bad Afro Records

User Reviews

The best so far

This is the third, and so far the best, film from Jussi Adler-Olsen's crime novels about the Department Q. The first "Kvinden i buret"/"The Keeper of Lost Causes" (2013) I rated 7/10, and was quite disappointed about the much more convoluted "Fasandreberne"/"The absent one" (2014), which I voted 5/10. Then I'm happy to say that this is a big step back from the last film directed by Mikkel Nørgaard.

Acclaimed Norwegian director Hans Petter Moland has taken over, and made a much more serious and darker Nordic noir.

The film is about a serial killer, acting as a cult leader. He kidnaps two children and demands ransom. But before this the Departemnt Q gets a case with a eight year old strange message found in a bottle. This is the start of an intense hunt.

The acting is superb, and mix with religion makes it very interesting. The film is slightly let down by being a lower budget production, though just from being a classic. it's still a very dark crime thriller.

Carl Morck (played by Nikolaj Lie Kaas) is very depressed and heavy minded. He makes his best role so far here. There is also a very strong acting performance by Pål Sverre Hagen, which does another psychopath here, just as in Moland's incredible "In order of disappearance"/"Kraftidioten". Once again a memorable role.

A well recommended Nordic noir.