Beck (TV Series) Lockpojken (1997) User Reviews

Swedish Cop thriller

[Oliver1984 · 7/10 · 7 January 1999]

This movie is NOT bad, as the user ratings might indicate, but it isn't one of the best Beck™ movies either. I liked the older ones with Gösta Ekman a lot, they were brilliant, but this one seems a little sillier and more influenced by american Tv-series. This series of movies is about an old police officer called Martin Beck. The older ones were based on famous detective novels by Sjöwall & Wahlöö, but these newer ones are entirely made up. That can be a good thing or a bad thing, unfortunately, here it's a bad thing. This movie doesn't show any signs of the innovation and the originality of the older Beck-movies, but instead it offers a lot of clichéd characters and a predictable plot. This film's virtues are, of course, an exciting, entertaining and stylish direction by Pelle Seth. Too bad he doesn't get much depth into his characters. In the later Beck-movies, these characters develop and everything becomes better, so don't let this uneven cop thriller fool you.

Good start for the Beck TV series

[udar55 · 12 November 2011]

I've always liked the character of Martin Beck created by writers Maj Sjöwall and Per Wahlöö (perhaps the best known incarnation was Walter Matthau in THE LAUGHING POLICEMAN), so this Swedish TV series about the detective intrigued me. Beck (Peter Haber) is assigned the tough case of a solving the mystery of a body seen in a garbage processing plant just before it was incinerated. The only remaining evidence is a piece of a jaw bone with two teeth in it. Along with his hot-headed new partner Gunvald (Mikael Persbrandt), Beck delves into the sordid world of pedophilia. They sure do things different over there on Swedish TV. Like the DRAGON TATTOO/MILLENNIUM mini-series (which Haber was also in), this is a solid film that could easily play in theaters. The mystery is engaging and I was a bit shocked by what they could show on TV. I don't think we'll see any US crime series tackling something like this with scenes of 12-year-old kids getting high and being graphically murdered (unless it has already happened on US TV; anyone up-to-date on domestic crime shows let me know). On the downside, this does appear to be emulating the modern TV stuff at the time with the shaky cam and "the killer must be a character you've seen on screen" cliché. Not enough to put me off though. Haber is really good in the title role and I look forward to seeing more of these.

Bend the rules like Beck

[Lejink · 4/10 · 9 February 2017]

I was recommended to watch this Swedish crime series by a fellow-fan of Scandanavian noir and so went all the way back to its first episode to see for myself. Perhaps it gets better as it goes, but I wasn't completely hooked after watching this feature length episode.

I found the main characters lacked depth and definition. Crusty old cop Martin Beck seems to have as his subordinates a near-psychopathic henchman who perpetually wears a mackintosh and wants to bend the law to snapping point by beating up suspects and breaking into premises without a warrant and a near silent young albino gopher with zero personality. Team leader Beck is mildly maverick in his demeanour, mouthing off at his weak and inexperienced CO, dogged and persistent, he too doesn't exactly exude charisma, as his petulant daughter makes him aware.

The murder trail here follows the one-by-one killings of a teenage rent-boy ring who socialise in a seedy caravan owned by a controlling virtual-reality stall-owner, who himself comes to a pointed end and eventually ends up at the door of an authority figure who Beck finally confronts in a broken-down elevator compartment.

I must admit, I found little to warm to here. The story seemed run-of-the-mill, the direction flat and linear and the acting okay at best. There was none of the crisp, clear style one associates with more recent highly rated series from this part of the world. I didn't see much to make me want to binge-watch far less occasionally drop in on this rather dull 'tec drama.

Same old, same old.

[alanms · 1/10 · 7 August 2020]

Trite characters, stale plot, over-acting and I think the cameraman was drunk. Even though it's dated it wasn't at all good. Stuck out 1 episode...won't be others.

On the edge of my seat

[wlohmann-1 · 9/10 · 4 December 2021]

I watched this many years ago when it first became available and just watched it again. I'm shocked at what I read in a few of the negative reviews. What is expected in a police murder mystery? An interesting somewhat original plot, very good acting and suspense. Big check marks on all 3 for me. The Beck series is on MHz Choice and I'll continue to rewatch the entire series. I also look forward to the new episodes which have only recently been released. For those of you who have watched English shows ( Inspector Morse, Endeavour, Midsomer Murders, Vera), the Swedish shows a bit creepier...more physical destruction, injury and torture. I also recommend the Wallander series. These writers have a great imagination for this class of shows. Give them a try!

Winning Series, But Poor Start

[crumpytv · 4/10 · 15 December 2021]

It is a shame that this first episode from 1997 from what turned out to be long running and popular Swedish detective series, should have such a distasteful and harrowing first case.