ID:A [15]

ID:A is a cool Scandi-crime thriller, featuring half the cast of The Killing 2, which roams around Europe like it's one big gangster's playground. Imagine a sort of cross between The Bourne Identity and Memento - it's very amnesiac but only confusing in the right way.

It begins with a woman waking up in a river in southern France, who has no idea who she is and a huge duffle-bag of money. She finds she can speak French but also Danish, she's being pursued by some baddies in a white van, and so begins a race to find out who she is and how she got there, preferably without offending all the people whom she doesn't remember.

The plot draws in as many trans-continental underground organisations as The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, proving that there are still perfectly good villains to be had even now the Cold War's ended. It is pretty violent. Punches are not pulled, but repeatedly slammed into pretty much everyone. Despite that it retains some uplifting, endearing charm. And of course it's great fun for linguaphiles, veering between French, Danish and Dutch.

This is a well-made thriller, more intelligent than your average Hollywood number, and even if the plot is a bit ludicrous the main characters are worth watching. After its single date at the Phoenix it's pretty much passed out of English cinemas, but is available via LoveFilm.

Jen Pawsey (DI Reviewer), 11/07/12