Red Dot

The latest Netflix original release – and the first Swedish language feature launched by the streaming giant – Red Dot transports viewers to Stockholm for a romantic drama turned electrifying horror that thrusts one into the heart of a manhunt among the freezing desolate wastelands. Much like other wilderness thrillers of its kind, this chilly number takes a while to get going. But as the ice and snow begin to thicken, so does the plot, creating an 85-minute avalanche of a film that is certainly not for the faint of heart.

David (Anastasios Soulis) and Nadja (Nanna Blondell) are a recently engaged young couple trying to make it work in the capital. In a bid to provide some much-needed respite, the former surprises his partner with a romantic trip to see the Northern Lights. What begins as an exciting and beautiful adventure slowly turns sour and dangerous after they encounter less-than-welcoming locals. Before long, demons of the past and present appear to haunt the visitors as they must flee for their lives.

Spectators will be unable to take their eyes off this unravelling drama on screen. One’s fingers and toes begin to feel the frostbite creeping in with every snow-laden scene. The sense of peril increases as David and Nadja face racial prejudice, unexpected violence and ultimately fall into an even larger trap manifested by those they least anticipated. Directed by Swedish filmmaker Alain Darborg, the movie is less about the presence of a “red dot” from a rifle as the title suggests. Instead, it is a study into the actions of humanity, investigating how we deal with loss, guilt and victimisation. At first, the viewer is led to believe that the protagonists are pure and innocent: just two lovers who have fallen into the clasp of someone else’s sick intentions. But as Darborg peels back the layers, it is revealed that they too are hiding something. 

This disclosure comes a little late in the narrative. However, with excellent performances and chemistry from Soulis and Blondell, the preceding script and sequences are exceptionally easy to process. Despite the sprinkling of a little clichéd dialogue, the film works as a whole – arguably presenting more questions than answers as it reaches its conclusion – but nonetheless providing enough excitement throughout. Prepare to be shocked at the direction the flick takes in the third act as the darkness of despair shrouds over the protagonists, proving no one is safe from the cold hand of revenge should the seeker be determined enough to serve it.

Guy Lambert

Red Dot is released on Netflix on 12^th February 2021.

Watch the trailer for Red Dot here: