There’s a clever motif used throughout the cool and darkly comic Norwegian thriller “In Order of Disappearance,” opening Sept. 9 at Ritz Theatres. Whenever a character snuffs it, his name is flashed on the screen with the appropriate religious symbol. Several of the departed are wrapped in chicken wire and hurled over a waterfall by Nils (Stellan Skarsgård), a snow-plow operator who is hell-bent on avenging his son Ingvar’s (Aron Eskeland) wrongful death.
Since the police ruled Ingvar’s death an overdose, they won’t investigate it. This prompts Nils to take matters into his own hands. His quest for revenge leads him to the Count (Pål Sverre Hagen), a vegan drug kingpin who has a pair of gay henchmen, Geir (Anders Baasmo Christiansen) and Junior (Jakob Oftebro), one of whom is particularly forlorn when his lover’s name flashes on the screen.
Kidnapping, politically incorrect dialogue and a huge body count ensue. There is also considerable blood in the snow after the Count initiates a turf war with Papa (Bruno Ganz), a Serbian, leading to the film’s climactic shootout.
“In Order of Disappearance” benefits from gorgeous cinematography, as well as subtle, expressive performances by Skarsgård and Ganz. In contrast, Hagen’s over-the-top hissy fits are more funny than scary, especially when he fights with his ex-wife, Marit (Brigitte Hjort Sørensen). But one wishes there were more for Geir and Junior to do.