Journal 64 (2018)

A series of mysterious disappearances in 2006 are eerily connected to the same institution.

Director:

Christoffer Boe

Writers:

Jussi Adler-Olsen (novel), Nikolaj Arcel

Stars:

Nikolaj Lie Kaas, Fares Fares, Johanne Louise Schmidt

1 win & 11 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Nikolaj Lie Kaas	...	Carl Mørck
Fares Fares	...	Assad
Johanne Louise Schmidt	...	Rose
Søren Pilmark	...	Marcus Jacobsen
Fanny Bornedal	...	Nete (ung) (as Fanny Leander Bornedal)
Clara Rosager	...	Rita
Luise Skov	...	Gitte Charles
Amanda Radeljak	...	Nour
Anders Hove	...	Curt Wad (ældre)
Nicolas Bro	...	Brandt
Elliott Crosset Hove	...	Curt Wad (ung)
Birthe Neumann	...	Nete (ældre)
Anders Juul	...	Gunnar
Michael Brostrup	...	Børge Bak
Marianne Høgsbro	...	Beate Wad

Storyline

Two workmen make an alarming discovery in an older Copenhagen apartment: hidden behind a false wall are three mummified corpses, sitting around a dining table with one empty seat left. The case quickly ends up on the desk of Detective Superintendent CARL MØRCK and his assistant, ASSAD, and it is up to them to figure out, who the mummies are as well as who the fourth seat is meant for. Carl and Assad put all effort in to finding the tenant of the apartment and they end up finding clues tracing back to the notorious institution for 'wayward' girls on the island of Sprogø, where extreme neglect and medical experiments in forced sterilization are a part of everyday life. Even though the horrors of Sprogø are a closed chapter in Danish history, there are now people claiming the experiments have continued to go on up until today. Carl and Assad start a race against time to prevent new murders and attacks from happening.

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Plot Keywords:

digit in title | number 64 in title | sequel | based on book | number in title | 

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Taglines:

A series of mysterious disappearances in 2006 are eerily connected to the same institution.

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Genres:

Crime | Mystery | Thriller

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Details

Country:

Denmark Germany

Language:

Danish Arabic Spanish German

Release Date:

4 October 2018 (Denmark)

Also Known As:

A 64-es betegnapló

Filming Locations:

Copenhagen, Denmark

Box Office

Budget:

DKK39,000,000 (estimated)

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$470,308

Company Credits

Production Co:

Zentropa Entertainments, Film i Väst

Technical Specs

Runtime:

119 min

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.39 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The last installment in the series involving Nikolaj Lie Kaas and Fares Fares

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Connections

Follows Flaskepost fra P (2016)

User Reviews

A well-written, well-acted thriller that only lacks a FINAL JOLT! [+72%]

I had no clue that 'Journal 64' (or 'The Purity of Vengeance') was part of a series of films known as 'Department Q', before looking it up on IMDB (and that was after watching the movie). Well, even if it wasn't, the screenplay has added enough layers to its lead characters to make it a totally engaging fare. Assad, one of the cops in Dept. Q, is set to move to another division and his partners Carl and Rose are finding it hard to come to terms with his departure. The uncovering of a few mummified bodies behind the false wall of an apartment in Copenhagen brings an exciting case on the desk of Dept. Q once again.

On the side, in 1961, we are introduced to Nete (and how she ends up on The Girls' Home in Sprogø for 'the morally defective'), her roomie Rita, the fascist doctor Curt and his unsympathetic assistant Gitte Charles. The film provides a fair bit of an insight into the grim realities of what went down in that island facility, and it's definitely not for the faint-hearted. Does the past have a connection with the goings-on of the present? Watch the film to find out!

Adapted from the novel by Jussi Adler-Olsen, the screenplay packs enough thrills and punches to keep the viewer on their toes for the most part. A conspiracy is unraveled slowly; we realize the subplots aren't mere subplots. Every character shown on screen has at least one or more relevant scenes. That clearly indicates the screenplay's strength. With a cast that's already popular among Danish viewers, director Christoffer Boe had his job cut out to an extent. He has retained some of the gruesome details of Sprogø to reinstate how big of a terror-show it once used to be.

Incorporating elements from a past era into a film can sometimes come across as too dramatic and struggling to convey the right notion. Director Boe doesn't have any of it. The daunting flashback sequences at the facility are as thrilling as the duo (and their female colleague) trying to crack their case several years later. The crafting is excellent, the thrills very carefully placed. The plot, however, gets predictable beyond a point. The supposed twist in the tale isn't exactly what one would term 'remarkable', but in a thriller universe, I believe it fits.

The climax is a bit of a stretch too, with the extended scenes catering more to fans of the franchise than to the plot. If that doesn't bother you, you have a really good thriller in your hands. The camaraderie between the leads is also one of the reasons this film works so well. It has well-rounded protagonists (one of them fundamentally flawed, and for the right cinematic reasons!), above-par performances, detailed plotting, and just the right amount of thrills and action set-pieces that can make your weekend a wee bit more interesting!

What I immediately need to do is seek out the older counterparts to this movie and binge-watch them.