4 out of 5

Director: Richard Holm

It stutters about a bit for momentum, as this Johan entry seems to be a bridge between storylines, but even without Anders behind the lens and a script assist from Björn Carlström, we maintain the core elements that have made the series fascinating… and the flick gets notched up massively in its last moments, proving that shit can still get fucked up in Folky world.

So since the introduction of the Frank / Lisa informant element – Joel Kinnaman, Johan’s GSI contact with the underworld –  we’ve seen the business side of Johan’s informality seeded more into each movie, drawing a connecting line between the way he seems to treat his personal life and the way he approaches his job.  This has been well done, subtle world building that makes the character consistent, and is indicative of the TV feel of these films, as such pieces aren’t evolved in fits and spurts of movie momentum, but yoked along in such a way that only becomes revealing and rewarding when watching in sequence.  ‘National Target’ almost makes JF into, seemingly, completely uncaring – his talks with his superiors of getting Frank out of trouble butting up against his need to move on a ‘National Target’ – Mr. K., a drug kingpin who is a massive supplier of amphetamines into Sweden.  And so despite shockingly escalating shake-ups in Frank’s world, Johan pushes him just a few steps more in to get what they need.  Interestingly – and in fitting with the straight-ahead story-telling thus far – the script doesn’t obnoxiously parallel or pair off Johan vs. Frank, instead bubbling it up into an interesting conversation about honesty and lies and relationships.  No stunning wizened phrases, no dramatic strings, just a believable back-and-forth that further makes clear these character’s choices.

But again, the movie wanders about for a bit to stretch out to a possible ‘conclusion’ to Frank’s tale (the next entry will tell), slowly winding through the procedural of setting up the sting on Mr. K and dealing with pieces – like Frank’s partner Seth’s younger brother’s vying for the throne – as they fall.  It’s never uninteresting, but while Johan’s muted approach is expected, Joel Kinnaman as Frank has mastered the quiet look of worry / faux confidence, but can’t quite sell ‘unleashed,’ and so several moments where he’s required to go off the rails lack full impact.  Part of this may be the still quite un-American approach to structure, where everything is upfront – no secret double crosses or incompetencies, and it’s almost amusing how the concept of a MacGuffin is, no pun intended, foreign to this series – and no cinematic embellishments – the lack of music being disappointingly noticeable here.  The score has been pushed back and back since film 3, but it seems like in ‘Target’ its been relegated exclusively to the closing credits, and its the same theme as before, no changes to my ear.  This shaving off of potential emotional peaks did hinder the tension a bit and kept me at three stars, but like ‘Executive Protection,’ those last minute saves really do a lot to sell the movie as a whole and I loved how things worked – not without hitches, but also without extra glitz.

Keep going, Johan.