[US] The Valhalla Murders (2019) - Confusing? It does require close attention.

[u/Brilliant_Koala5458]

Another one for my Dark Crime Hidden Gems series.

I watched this one a while back, so I'm going a bit from memory, but I remember it being a pretty dark and twisted Icelandic crime thriller.

It's eight episodes and starts with a series of brutal murders that eventually connect back to Valhalla, an institution for troubled boys that closed years earlier. As the detectives dig into the past, they uncover some really disturbing things that happened to the kids there, many of whom are now adults.

This is definitely not a light crime drama. Child abuse, revenge, murder, corruption, and some pretty nasty secrets. The two lead detectives are solid, particularly Arnar, who has some demons of his own.

I will say I remember the story getting a little complicated. There are a lot of connections between the victims, the people who worked at Valhalla, and the boys who were there. I found myself trying to keep everyone straight at times. Maybe I wasn't paying close enough attention, but I don't think the storytelling was quite as sharp as some of the better Nordic noirs.

As for brutality, there are some pretty gruesome murders, but I wouldn't put this in the category of nonstop graphic violence. It's really the underlying story and what happened to those kids that makes it so disturbing.

My Dark Crime Hidden Gem ratings:

• 🌑 Darkness: 8.5/10
• 🩸 Brutality: 7/10
• 🎭 Acting/Characters: 8/10
• 🧩 Story/Mystery: 7.5/10
• ⭐ Overall: 8/10

Eight episodes, one complete story, and definitely some unsettling subject matter. I would be curious to hear what you think of the ending!

Where to watch: Netflix in the US. All 8 episodes are available, with English subtitles.

[u/General-Show-6985]

Oh yes, this one. I watched it in two nights and had to keep a little note on my phone for who is who. The Icelandic names doesn't help, everyone is either called something with -son or -dóttir and my brain just gave up after episode three.

Still worth it though. That scene in the basement of Valhalla with the photo albums? Stuck with me for days.

[u/Clopenny]

Yes. I loved this show.

[u/ParticleHustler2]

I don't think this is on Netflix anymore. I just searched for it and it doesn't exist but it can be seen on something called MHz Choice.