The Trip

Tommy Wirkola handles marital crises differently than Woody Allen. He’s just as entertaining and creative, but a whole lot different. Which reminded me of why I so much enjoy well-made movies by skilled filmmakers who enjoy doing their work and mean well by us viewers. The Trip is a Norwegian version of American genre flicks where everything gets unexpectedly complicated and the blood flows. This film is very darkly humorous and serious, grotesquely brutal with heart. The subject matter is not entirely original, but the characters and their sweaters are. Despite its initial simplicity, the film turns out to be beautifully edited and increasingly suspenseful precisely as the satisfied viewer demands. The cast is outstanding! (10/29/2021)

Check it out, it's really funny, he said. And although it's not a comedy the way I normally think of them, he was right. The comic aspect here, among other things, works brilliantly. The characters are likable and lukewarm at the same time, making for a rather unique spectacle that you definitely don't want to walk away from. (12/14/2021)

I had fun, but during the final half hour, which just stretched everything unnecessarily, I got over my enjoyment. If they could manage to condense the story more and the film was 30 minutes shorter, I would definitely be happier. Either way, this silliness is worth seeing, whether you're a fan of Tommy Wirkola, Noomi Rapace or just this quirky "Tarantino-light" genre. (10/17/2021)

An excellent film that will have you laughing out loud, unless you’re a sensitive person in which case it’ll make you sick to your stomach. The Norwegian filmmakers went all out and punched up what could have been a run-of-the-mill home invasion so well that it would make even Quentin Tarantino proud. But he probably would have wished there were two hours more of talking:-) It was a very violent film, parts of human anatomy were cruelly cut, stabbed, shot, chopped, torn, and shattered, lying around in both a solid and a semi-liquid state, and yet there was still room for a considerable amount of quality (mostly black) humor. If Noomi Rapace's character hadn’t exhibited T-1000 resistance, I would have given the movie five stars. But it still deserves a strong four. 4*+ (01/13/2022)

I'm quite familiar with Tommy Wirkola’s work, so I knew what to expect. Norwegian filmmakers have repeatedly shown that black humor is their forte, and The Trip is no exception. I must particularly praise the cast. The duo of Noomi Rapace and Aksel Hennie, delivered an incredibly entertaining performance, with their lines being sharp and meticulously crafted. The first half of the film has a slower pace, but once it gets going, it truly ignites into an inferno! From that point on, prepare for a bloodbath. I enjoyed the central subplot involving the prisoners; their interaction with the main characters brought fresh energy to the film. However, I won’t rate it higher because the very end felt like the creators were running out of steam. Still, it’s a fantastic addition to the genre of bloody black comedies. For me, it’s a 7.5/10. (12/17/2021)