An underrated thriller film streaming now on Amazon Prime has a “shocking” plot twist and near-perfect score on Rotten Tomatoes. The Guilty (2018) tells the story of Danish police officer Asger Holm (played by Jakob Cedergren) who has been assigned to answer emergency calls while he awaits a court hearing for use of deadly force while on duty.
When he receives a cryptic call from a woman, he senses something is wrong, and is plunged into a race against time to save her. The film was written Emil Nygaard Albertsen, and Gustav Möller – who also directed the film. All of the film’s action takes place within the call centre, with the action conveyed through the conversation between Holm and the woman.
Despite the film’s stripped back approach, audiences hailed the tension it manages to build.
Movie news site Collider included the film among its ranking of the 10 most underrated films, saying its “minimalist storytelling, cinematography (the film takes place in a single location), and poignant social commentary about the intense situations that law enforcement often find themselves dealing with make it a memorable watch”.
An American remake was released in 2021 with Jake Gyllenhaal starring in the lead role.
One Audience Reviewer on Rotten Tomatoes called it a “finely-crafted, atmospheric, well-acted, surely-paced thriller with a plot twist that is satisfyingly shocking”.
“Don’t waste your time with the American remake, this is much better,” they added.
A second said: “This movie left me speechless. It is very intense and lots of twists and turns that have you literally on the edge of your seat the whole time. The middle is a little slow but the ending more then makes up for it.”
A third added: “Well-made. Tension maintained throughout. Unarguably one of the finest works of the decade.
“You’ll easily visualise all the incidents that happen in this film only with the dialogue.”
The film is Certified Fresh on the site, with a superb 98% score on its Tomatometer, which reflects the percentage of approved critics who have given the movie a positive review.
It’s also highly rated among general audiences, with an 87% score on the site’s Popcornmeter, based on more than 1,000 ratings.
The film has a 15 certificate, deals with upsetting themes, and features strong language – so may not be for everyone.
The Guilty is streaming now on Amazon Prime and is available to rent or buy on other platforms.