While protecting a crime boss's home in the Carpathian Mountains, a contract killer and his old friend get into a dangerous situation when the boss's wife is accidentally killed.While protecting a crime boss's home in the Carpathian Mountains, a contract killer and his old friend get into a dangerous situation when the boss's wife is accidentally killed.While protecting a crime boss's home in the Carpathian Mountains, a contract killer and his old friend get into a dangerous situation when the boss's wife is accidentally killed.
- Awards
- 1 nomination total
Featured reviews
In the dark realm of comedic exposition, films come and go. Location is always a factor. Dark and cold tend to coexist as partners in a loop.(Think Fargo) And this film displays both the dark, in humor, and the cold within the setting.
The emotional setting is clearly set in opening pieces to amusing extent. The acting and character development support this quite well.
Soooooo.....
Our aging, anti-hero,(a hit man) kills the wrong guy, in a botched job, and ruins his own dwindling reputation as a killer to the effect that he has been put to pasture. A former colleague offers him a job baby-sitting a former client that had been reported as dead. "Former" is an operative term here.
Our guy accepts the job, stoically, and goes forth into the dark unknown of the wintered Carpathian mountains in Eastern Europe to fatefully encounter yet another former colleague whose wits seem at odds with his lack of...well...wit.
They soon learn that all is not well in this frigid paradise, as a wonderfully cliché, gangster, bitch shows up and happens to enjoy being the clients toy. She has her own agenda and somehow becomes dead while our heroes are present. Sorry, no spoilers. That's the premise.
Dark comedy ensues as loyalties consume all to twisted ends. The acting is quite good and direction is directed upon a cast and film crew that know their setting. Scripting seems fairly tight and is carried forth by the basic pivot of the whores death...Although, I feel this plot device may have been developed more in the intro to the setting. But then, she was caprice in a shell.
All in all, a great romp and the dialog was well suited to the characters and situations. Only a European crew could do this the way it was done. I highly recommend this film to any fan of dark comedy, especially those with a mood for snow and ice, haha.
The emotional setting is clearly set in opening pieces to amusing extent. The acting and character development support this quite well.
Soooooo.....
Our aging, anti-hero,(a hit man) kills the wrong guy, in a botched job, and ruins his own dwindling reputation as a killer to the effect that he has been put to pasture. A former colleague offers him a job baby-sitting a former client that had been reported as dead. "Former" is an operative term here.
Our guy accepts the job, stoically, and goes forth into the dark unknown of the wintered Carpathian mountains in Eastern Europe to fatefully encounter yet another former colleague whose wits seem at odds with his lack of...well...wit.
They soon learn that all is not well in this frigid paradise, as a wonderfully cliché, gangster, bitch shows up and happens to enjoy being the clients toy. She has her own agenda and somehow becomes dead while our heroes are present. Sorry, no spoilers. That's the premise.
Dark comedy ensues as loyalties consume all to twisted ends. The acting is quite good and direction is directed upon a cast and film crew that know their setting. Scripting seems fairly tight and is carried forth by the basic pivot of the whores death...Although, I feel this plot device may have been developed more in the intro to the setting. But then, she was caprice in a shell.
All in all, a great romp and the dialog was well suited to the characters and situations. Only a European crew could do this the way it was done. I highly recommend this film to any fan of dark comedy, especially those with a mood for snow and ice, haha.
I was at the German premiere night and I love this film. Kaurismäki, Cohen Brothers, von Trier and Faith Akin all rolled into one. Great cast, but the scenes with Eva-Katrin Hermann, Thomas Wodianka and Jürgen Rißmann should be singled out for their blue touch paper comedic timing and dramatic control.
Lensed by Ralf M. Mendle on Red, there's not a single duff shot in the film. The script is a delight and the direction is masterly. Thomasz Thomson helmed this low-budget cult pic: he will definitely be back with another in-your-eye script and a way bigger production budget. Watch this space.
Disclaimer: I have no work or financial involvement in this film.
Lensed by Ralf M. Mendle on Red, there's not a single duff shot in the film. The script is a delight and the direction is masterly. Thomasz Thomson helmed this low-budget cult pic: he will definitely be back with another in-your-eye script and a way bigger production budget. Watch this space.
Disclaimer: I have no work or financial involvement in this film.
I saw 'Snowman's Land' at La Mostra Valencia film festival in 2010 and was struck by the black humour of the film, the atmospheric imagery, the quirky soundtrack and the tight plotting. Great acting by the anti-hero too! The film is mostly set in an mysterious and dangerous location (a forest in winter) hundreds of miles east of Germany. This isolated and haunted place creates an on-going tension, enhances the plot and emphasizes the struggle of the characters who have to use their wits to survive each day. A memorable, dark and entertaining film. I look forward to seeing more from this director in the future.
Will McCarthy
Will McCarthy
I love the title. I think it's a nice wordplay. But when the movie starts you almost feel that it could go completely wrong. The voice over feels wrong. Then it does seem as if it does mix in with the mood of the film. A very slow moving thriller if you will. Very bad things may happen here and nobody may notice.
But that's also sort of its downfall. The fact, that it is very uneven, having great scenes followed by very weak scenes. Great performances with just completely weird dialog. Potential in the script that does not get fully explored and exposed. Ideas that seem to get thrown out the window halfway through. Still in its weirdness it stays kind of engaging. If you like weird that is.
But that's also sort of its downfall. The fact, that it is very uneven, having great scenes followed by very weak scenes. Great performances with just completely weird dialog. Potential in the script that does not get fully explored and exposed. Ideas that seem to get thrown out the window halfway through. Still in its weirdness it stays kind of engaging. If you like weird that is.
Walter is a professional killer who messed up a job. Therefore he has to leave the country and takes up an offer from the crime boss Berger to protect his house in the remote Carpathian mountains. His old friend Mickey - not the brightest one - comes along. What first looks like a holiday with little work turns out a nightmare when Berger's girlfriend is killed by accident.
"Snowman's Land" is full of fantastic black humor in the style of the Coen Brothers. The perfect cast, music and the setting in the snowy remoteness create a very atmospheric universe. Although some narrative threads may not tie in the end - until then the surprising turns of the story are highly entertaining.
"Snowman's Land" is full of fantastic black humor in the style of the Coen Brothers. The perfect cast, music and the setting in the snowy remoteness create a very atmospheric universe. Although some narrative threads may not tie in the end - until then the surprising turns of the story are highly entertaining.
Did you know
- SoundtracksLalaca e Luluca
Performed by Carlos Werneck
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Official sites
- Language
- Also known as
- En tierra de nadie
- Filming locations
- Production company
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Gross US & Canada
- $1,190
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $656
- Sep 16, 2012
- Gross worldwide
- $3,128
- Runtime
- 1h 35m(95 min)
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 2.35 : 1
Contribute to this page
Suggest an edit or add missing content