COP SECRET

Denmark, 2021, 98 minutes, Colour.

Aufun Blondal, Egill Einarsson, Sverrir pir Sverrisson.

Directed by Hannes por Halldorsson.

Back in the day, on the big screen and on the television screen, there was plenty of police action, with titles like The Super Cops or Starsky and Hutch. Over time, especially with special effects, the action became more and more beyond-realistic, often sensationalist, often over-the-top, and often humorous. Just think Will Smith and Martin Lawrence in the Bad Boys movies, more and more outlandish as they went on!

With Denmark’s Cop Secret, this is a film to sit back and enjoy rather than ponder deep analysis (although some critics did not relax and criticised the film for a lack of depth!).

One advantage of the film is the Reykyavik setting, especially during the opening credits, aerial views of the city, the more contemporary city, high-rise buildings, streets and avenues, malls… Then, explosions, attempted bank robberies, the villain on the bike, and no-holds-barred car chase. The comic tone is set because our hero, Bussi, is nonchalantly reckless while his partner, is continually apprehensive, afraid, complaining, threatening, quoting the law… Tone is set.

So, Cop Secret is an idiosyncratic sendup of the police genre. There are stock characters to be expected, the tough female boss and her continued demands and complaints, phone calls with the Prime Minister and his complaints about the police behaviour, the very careful officer in the office and at the finale, the interactions between the police officers…

But, the focus is on Bussi, confident in being reckless, not a great respect for details of the law, not minding being called out by the boss, subject to continual complaint by his apprehensive partner. He goes home, a girlfriend but there is a tension between them. He has an Asian neighbour, friendly, who has a little daughter, Bussi showing her the gun and promising to show her how to use it when her father is not looking. (Which does happen at the end of the film!)

But, in the pursuit, Bussi ventures into the next police district, a rivalry with the top detective there, Hordur, smooth, a former model, immaculately dressed, a top shooter, all smiles and agreeable. With the increased number of explosions and attempts on banks, and the spectacular pursuits, the two reluctantly agreed to become partners. But, this works.

In the meantime, the audience is introduced to the criminal group, led by another former model who is planning to steal Denmark’s gold bullion store. A whole lot of thugs in attendance and a smart female criminal who is captured, interrogated, escapes. And, at the end of the week, in the main sports arena, there is the women’s football championship match between Denmark and England. Audiences will anticipate the setup.

But the title! The comment about these police partners is that they are often described as bromance. The secret here and the attraction is a gay one and the film enjoys the development of this relationship, Bussi eventually to come to terms and accept himself, Hordur no inhibitions whatsoever. But, the chief criminal does get photos of the two to hold over them as blackmail. (Interestingly, with a French director, François Weber, the 1981, Partners, with John hurt and Ryan O’Neal, took up the gay partner theme.)

Lots of chases, lots of shootouts, lots of killings of villains, shooting techniques including shooting the person to be rescued in the shoulder and thus distracting the villains. Lots of dangers, almost impossible escapes, and some final humour with Hordur’s Down Syndrome brother who spends his time with computer games – learning how to shoot just at the right moment!

Depending on your mood, sometimes laugh out loud, but often smiles at the sendup and the spoof. (Some reviewers noted that there are many and frequent jokes about Iceland and Reykjavík which may escape the international audience).