The Wave (2015)

	Also Known As: Bølgen (original)
	Year of first release: 2015
	Director: Roar Uthaug (Cold Prey)
	Actors: Kristoffer Joner, Ane Dahl Torp, Jonas Hoff Oftebro
	Country: N
	Genre: Action, Drama
	Conditions of visioning: 07.07.2016, Theatre du Passage, NIFFF2016
Synopsis: In the small town of Geiranger at the end of a fjord, geologist Kristian Eikjord (Joner) was in charge of following the activity of a mountain at the other end, which unavoidable collapse would one day result in massive destruction.
Review: As I always write about any movie (even small budgets) shot outdoors in Norway (like Dead Snow or Troll Hunter), it is very easy for them to show nice images, they just have to point the camera anywhere to the mountains and fjords! In that context, The Wave is a disaster movie that contains all the elements of this sub-genre but limited in space, unlike recent global ones like 2012, The Day after Tomorrow or even Sinking of Japan (from 2006). We mainly follow the fate of only family of four, the father geologist leaving the job on that same day to go work in petrol. Tension rise while more hints are given about the imminence of the tsunami and its occurrence is the 15-minute big action scene of the movie, which looks very good even being produced by a relatively small country. Nothing revolutionary in this movie but a serious visual quality and good intentions, sometimes too much (there are some cheesy family scenes). If you are eager to watch a new disaster movie that changes from the usual American ones, The Wave is for you.
Rating: 6 /10