IFFR 2021 - Shorta
IFFR
Fear and animosity towards the law by those that feel afraid or oppressed, slurs, as well as colloquial language are to inspired by rebellion and justice in this adaptation. This one word lends itself well to Shorta, the latest film from directing duo Anders Ølholm and Frederik Louis Hviid. What they dissect through their craft is obvious, but what they would like to discuss is layered and hinted at. A venomous way to identify a potential encounter with trouble and threat, the word is used fleetingly throughout this action feature. With unclear circumstances surrounding a controversial death, Shorta details the inevitable, impending riot and the breakdown of order that follows.
Police brutality, tabloid press and cultural tensions are drawn upon throughout Shorta to provide some sense of narrative, which is is necessary and takes into serious account its surroundings. The film builds slowly, making its arrogant buddy cop duo at least likeable, before throwing them into morally and physically dangerous scenarios. Shorta will work just as well as its leading characters, Mike Andersen (Jacob Ulrick Lohmann) and Jens Høyer (Simon Sears). They are conceited and mired by controversy beyond their control, while cover-ups and political pressure affect their decision making. Ølholm and Hviid keep them human, though, with pockets of personality littered throughout to show that they are not wholly bad. Proud of their misgivings and revelling in the company of misanthropy, the camaraderie is admirable and engaging. While their actions are vehement, their reasoning for it is substantial. A cog in the machine of injustice, their strict and unwavering misconceptions and stereotypes are unforgiving, but they are also a by-product of their field of work.
Engrossing due to its themes, Shorta engages with a variety of modern-day messages, presenting them through the lens of two policemen caught up in the midst of a riot. With such a variety of messages, it feels as though Shorta ensures respect for both sides of the debate, without painting either side in a positive light. Odd it though may be to see both sides as disgruntled and angered as one another, it serves the film well, with Sears and Lohmann giving some great performances throughout. Grappling with the tension of being isolated from friendly faces and left without support, the two leads provide that necessary adrenalin rush, made all the better by the unspoken loathing found between the two.
An incredible antidote to the usual bile offered up by the modern Hollywood blockbuster, Shorta is thrilling, creative and an artistically rewarding experience. It plays ball with the usual tropes of the action hero caricatures, but the backspin placed on Jens and Mike offers vulnerable, fearful characters. They are not heroes, they are survivors. Ølholm and Hviid paint that perfectly well, with a directing style that sees a fulfilling, unexpected utilisation of extreme close-ups and an action-packed thrill ride that looks to understand the vague cultural barriers it touches upon. Somewhat predictable at times, as its message has been counted and relied on before, Shorta smothers these shortcomings with an exceptional variety of tense, action-packed brilliance.