This Scandi Noir Thriller Is a Gruesome Tale of Murder and the Horrors of Being an Adult

Nightwatch was Danish director Ole Bornedal's feature debut film after several years of television work. It was released in 1994, paving the way for Scandinavian thrillers to become an international phenomenon. The movie also jump-started the careers of Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (it was his first role), Sofie Gråbøl and Kim Bodnia, as well as Bornedal's Hollywood career when he was recruited to make a US remake of his film. As debuts go, Nightwatch was perfect — bold and original, mixing thriller, horror and dark humor equally. It also didn't shy away from violence or disturbing topics like necrophilia. However, the most intriguing and original aspect of the film was its attention to a truly terrifying topic: how scary it is to enter adult life and bear responsibilities associated with it.