Jar City

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Jar City

Released Feb 29, 2008

1h 33m

Crime

Drama

Mystery & Thriller

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

94%

Tomatometer

36 Reviews

73%

Popcornmeter

2,500+ Ratings

A worn-out cop investigates a murder that is strangely similar to one 30 years earlier.

Critics Consensus

A sublimely directed thriller, Jar City combines murder mystery, family drama and ample bits of Icelandic culture into a fascinating cinematic experience.

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Derek Malcolm

London Evening Standard

Kormákur, who made the highly original 101 Reykjavik, is clearly saying something pessimistic about his homeland and, as a film-maker, has the means to do so to some effect.

Rated: 3/5

Sep 12, 2008

Full Review

Larushka Ivan-Zadeh

Metro Newspaper (UK)

A disturbing, bleak, multilayered mystery that will not just worm under your flesh but also wriggle inside your nightmares.

Sep 12, 2008

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Anthony Quinn

Independent (UK)

The burden of this Icelandic procedural thriller will put a chill in your bones, if the lugubrious, wind-whipped coastal setting hasn't done already.

Rated: 4/5

Sep 12, 2008

Full Review

Cory Woodroof

615 Film

This is like Iceland’s Gone Baby Gone. A, forgive the pun, chilling procedural about generational sin. It’ll make you want to lock your door, get under a nice blanket with a cup of cocoa and shut the world out.

Oct 21, 2022

Full Review

Dennis Schwartz

Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews

A well-crafted police procedural written and directed by the Icelandic director Baltasar Kormakur.

Rated: B

Sep 30, 2015

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Rich Cline

Shadows on the Wall

Unnerving and emotional, this police thriller has an unnerving breadth and depth, as a murder case opens a decades-old inquiry that brings all kinds of dark creepiness with it. It's like an Icelandic twist on Seven.

Rated: 4/5

Sep 12, 2008

Full Review

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I M

Absorbing, very well made

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

06/09/24

Full Review

Laurie S

It tries very hard to be better than it actually is but falls short.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

06/03/24

Full Review

Emma C

Boring, not the thriller I expected.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

10/01/23

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Audience Member

Dour and gritty Icelandic police procedural thriller. I would say it has it's moments but in truth there are no real highlights, it just grinds on to an admittedly intriguing conclusion unfortunately leaving little real impact along the way.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

01/23/23

Full Review

Audience Member

This is the almost best mystery film for me.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/13/23

Full Review

Audience Member

One of those hidden gems that will be difficult to forget.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/21/23

Full Review

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Baltasar Kormákur

Director

Ingvar Eggert Sigurðsson

Erlendur

Ágústa Eva Erlendsdóttir

Eva Lind

Björn Hlynur Haraldsson

Sigurður Óli

Ólafía Hrönn Jónsdóttir

Elínborg

Atli Rafn Sigurðsson

Örn

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UK Critics Consensus: Pineapple Express is smoking hot; If in Eden Lake, DON’T Hug a Hoodie

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Synopsis

A worn-out cop investigates a murder that is strangely similar to one 30 years earlier.

Director: Baltasar Kormákur
Screenwriter: Arnaldur Indriðason
Distributor: IFC Films
Production Co: Blueeyes Productions, Nordisk Film, Degeto Film
Genre: Crime, Drama, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: Icelandic
Release Date (Theaters): Feb 29, 2008, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Sep 27, 2016
Runtime: 1h 33m