User reviews

... they would have apparently created a similar works, at least in their youth. Also here, a series of crazy and violent events with "ordinary" and "mad" people involved are triggered by a small short-term event. The things will never be the same and all characters have to review their values, approaches and problem-solving methods. Solutions are often damaging and/or fatal, although the outcome is not anticipated (however, using a narrator and its role in the very ending are witty and distinct). The cast is also strong and catchy, Kim Bodnia and Nikolaj Lie Kaas, above all; the latter's recurring line "We are only cooks!" makes you always giggle.

The only question I wanted to raise throughout the film: what about police, journalists - or sometimes even witnesses? So many tough-rough acts and no response from them at all?

Still, recommended if you like twisted action comedies with fine performances.

I have seen both IN CHINA THEY EAT DOGS and it's prequel, OLD MEN IN NEW CARS, and I have to say that this is the best of them. Where OLD MEN is a little more formulaic and recognizable as an average crime comedy, CHINA has fantastically bizarre elements that surprise and alarm. It's amazing how comical death can be if handled in the right way.

The film does bring up genuinely philosophical questions of right and wrong that, in my household, spurred interesting discussions about morality vs. social norm.

By the end of the film you most likely will be thinking about the same things and hoping that in your last hours you too will be able to avoid the men in the funny pants.

I was wondering why this movie just got a 7.something - saw the very first comments on this and got kind of angry. What the heck went wrong with you guys? Why need to compare this masterpiece by a boring Tarantino? Seems the director got some jealous friends. But never-mind, its nearly 10 years ago.

The Main-characters: Arvid, Harald, Vuk and the cooks went out to make danish movies famous, and thats what just happened: Im going to watch them all.

Take it as it comes: this movie is simply a must - great cast and an awesome dirty story. This one belongs into the the all-time 250 hall.

First time you'll laugh, second time you'll explore all the fine acting, finally and third time, you'll become jealous about killing a rock'n roll-band. Who has never dreamed about it ;)

Hit action comedy from celebrated writer Anders Thomas Jensen and director (and former stuntman) Lasse Spang Olsen. Put-upon Arvid is left by his girlfriend, and when he manages to foil a bank robbery with a squash racket, his life goes from bad to worse, getting involved with hardened criminal brother Harald (the excellent Kim Bodnia, tough and hilariously deadpan). Perhaps the highest body count of a Danish movie ever (Arvid accidentally wastes entire rockband Red Warszawa with a machine gun), film suffers from occasional amateurish stunts, but is peppered with Jensen´s terrific dialogue, and a what-me-worry approach that is very rare among Danish filmmakers. Nikolaj Lie Kaas and Tomas Villum Jensen make a great comedic duo as the reluctant body disposers, who just want to be cooks. Framed by a strange supernatural story that is so politically incorrect that you can´t help but laugh out loud. *** (of ****)

I am always a bit shy when it comes to laughing out loud, especially when i'm alone, but this movie has almost therapeutical qualities. In the beginning i was a bit astonished about the sheer and unexpected brutality that occurs quite sudden after a very soft entry. But pretty soon i realised the twinkling in the author's eye, and i started to laugh 'til i almost fainted. The dialogues are captivating, the characters convincingly weird and Arvid's decline follows some unforgettable kind of crude and funny "inevitabilism". This is the funniest actioncomedy i've seen for years. Refreshingly different, astoundingly perfect. A true recommendation not only for friends of the genre. I will buy it on Video or DVD, my highest private ranking.

This is an entertaining crime comedy with an all-star Danish cast (Kim Bodnia, Dejan Cukic, Nikolaj Lie Kaas, Trine Dyrholm, Jesper Christensen and many others) and a plotline reminiscing of films such as ''The Snatch'',''Lock, Stock And Two Smoking Barrels'' or ''RocknRolla'', but retaining the special Nordic characteristics in crime fiction. The story revolves around the relationship between two brothers (played by Cukic and Bodnia), having totally different personalities and character traits from one another. This is a film that contains many funny -even sometimes hilarious- dialogue and scenes and it can be categorized into the ''black comedy'' genre. The acting is great, the action scenes are well-shot and overall ''In China They Eat Dogs'' is a movie that can be compared with the more expensive English and American productions. Here, we meet again the actor who impersonated Radovan in the ''Pusher'' trilogy by Nicolas Winding Refn, named Slavko Labovic in an almost identical role. The main antagonist in the film is the Serbian mafia, as usual in Scandinavian crime fiction books and tv productions, and Labovic is a kind of top henchman for the Serbs. In my opinion, this is a film that will be highly appreciated by the -many- fans of Danish cinema and Scandinavian crime film productions in general.

This is a very funny movie that entertains you all the way. Something happens from the beginning through the end. Even during the subtitles people stayed, to hear the last jokes. Many of the things happening has been done before, but here is added some typical Danish black humor. Like when one guy, shoots another guy, and then calmly asks him to shut up. And even though the poor guys brain is all over the room, you can't help laughing. I think there are 22 killings in the movie, but it's done in a way, so you never takes it serious. You are always aware that this is a movie, and it's all just for fun.

I think it can be compared to Pulp Fiction, for the way people gets killed, and to Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels in the way the main characters are trying to raise money, with all the problems and killing this leads to.

I will give this a 9 of 10, because it's a little superficial, and not totally original, but I haven't laughed so much for a long time. Not since I saw the other new Danish top comedy Den Eneste ene in the spring.

Danish cinema experienced a new wave of success in the 1990s, with Kim Bodnia emerging as one of the most prominent figures of this wave. It began with Ole Bornedal's inventive Nattevagten in 1994 and continued with the dark violence fests Pusher (1996) and Bleeder (1998). In Lasse Spang Olsen's action-filled dramedy I Kina spiser de hunde, we find Bodnia in a fun caricature of these roles as the stand-offish and seemingly invincible hobby gangster Harald. A somewhat subdued Dejan Cukic plays Harald's mildly neurotic brother, who finds himself in a series of bizarre situations that require the help of Harald and his disciples to get him out of. Anders Thomas Jensen's witty screenplay is clearly inspired by Tarantino and works well under Olsen's free-flowing direction and gritty cinematography. Bodnia is rock-solid without bringing too much extravaganza, and along with his companions, he dances his way through increasingly absurd criminal situations. The characters' naive self-confidence is both amusing and well-defined. This is a film that plays more with character types and particular milieus than it does with any weighty social critique. Olsen delivers the narrative well, crafting simple entertainment wrapped in a well-executed and creative style. A fine example of how relatively straightforward techniques can still become solid cinema - with a sense of artistic integrity retained.

If you liked Pusher you'll love I Kina Spiser De Hunde.Pusher was hard-hitting,realistic look at pushers life in the city of Copenhagen while this one is more of a action/drama/comedy but impressive and funny. Kim Bodnia is as great as always,Dejan Cukic delivers good performance as his brother and the rest of the cast is great. A lot of stuff is happening in this one and every situation is funnier than the previous.I loved it and I have seen it at least as many times as Pusher.It is more enjoyable,with more interesting characters (Vuk alone is worth the price of the film) and there's always something happening. If you like this one,don't miss Gamle Mænd I Nye Biler (sequel).Not as funny,not as entertaining but definitely worth a look.

A nice Danish action/comedy that has a unique story. But I still just give it 6 out of 10, cuz' the movie has some flaws, in the special effects and manuscript, that really bothers me. But still a good movie that comes with some laughs.

The story line is the best part of the movie: The ordinary man who changes from this regular monday-Friday,boring work and ends up in a few days killing people. I think the movie actually has a deeper thought then just being this action/comedy. How fast everything can turn upside down. And the making of a criminal, 'one thing leads to another'. If it wasn't for some missings in the other part of the movie this could be "a blast".

Tarantinoesque black comedy has strong relations to "Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels" but doesn't share this movie's elegance and wittiness. Instead it gets carried away in a grotesque blood frenzy which at a certain point stops being funny and starts to be pretty disturbing. It has its moments but is basically rather unoriginal and has a certain wannabe-feel to it.

In my opinion one of the greatest pulp movies ever. The only thing that hurts during the first time watching the film is the first 30 or 40 Minutes you've got to survive (they are quite boring) but in the end and looked at it as a whole, everything fits perfectly together and will reward your patience. The most important factor that raises the rating is that the film is from Denmark and differs quite a lot from American pulp movies, that means the characters outer appearance, mentality and the locations the different scenes take place in create an 'European' atmosphere that in addition to a really cool and funny story gives this movie it's special and individual note. Watch it if you liked 'Snatch' or 'Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels' by Guy Ritchie.

I Kina Spiser de Hunde(In China They Eat Dogs) is a Danish version of Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels. It's a combination of comedy, drama and action with lots of black humor. Fact that movie is written like all Danish mega hits by Andreas Thomas Jensen was good enough for me to watch it.

Kim Bodnia is absolutely fantastic in this movie, playing a ruthless villain and psychopath who also has his tender side, love for his brother. Dejan Cukic, Tomas Villum Jensen and Nikolaj Lie Kaas alongside Vuk are responsible for funny situations. And Serbians mob complete the circle which makes this movie so enjoyable and makes you wanna watch the sequel Gamle mænd i nye biler(Old Men in New Cars).

*Nikolaj Lie Kaas made his breakthrough with this movie and we all know that he is alongside Mads Mikkelsen and Ulrich Thomsen best actor in Danish cinematography for the past 15 years.

This is one of the greatest danish action movies ever! The characters are both cool and funny (especially the two chefs) some of the humour you probably have to be danish to understand, but the action is international. This is a movie that showes that Denmark can kick butt in the action genre. SEE IT - and the sequel!

This movie was sort of a breakthrough for it's cast and the genre in Denmark when it came up. And it is indeed one of the few great action movies Denmark has produced, the action looks brilliant and is well done all around.

But the real genius of the movie is the fantastic script, Ander Thomas Jensen has over the last couple of years definitely showed that he is the leading danish screenwriter and there appear to be no competition, noone near his level, and his script is obviously the heart of the movie, the extremely cool use of the danish language is in my eyes his greeat strength, it also give for a more convincing performance by the actors that they're not talking something awkward, but they're actually cursing and s**t like they would probably do normally.

I thought this was a good movie, it's style has been copied a few times and the genre has become a bit kliche, but never to forget that this is a milestone movie for danish movie history, it's succeds where many others have failed and provides some solid action, especially the ending is well done on that part.

For the acting it's pretty much a line up of the best actors in Denmark, and they all do a great job, especially Kim Bodnia is enjoyable in his "i don't give a f**k" part.

The movie has a bit morale centered around Arvid Blixen, the main character, the morale doesn't shine very obvious through as it is obvious that the director has added most of his efforts in the action scenes, but it is a pretty good storyline, also original, but the originality is caused by the good manuscript. But definitely a movie worth checking out.

7/10

This movie rocks. Its a lovestory gone wrong. Arvid's woman leaves him, because she think he is boring. She leaves with all his stuff, which drives him insane. He contacts his brother, whom he hasn't seen in several year. His brother Harald is criminal, and they both get mixed up in a great drama, involving lots of action, women and insane solutions. The reason I like this movie, is because I like the plot. It's unpredigtable, and filled with a special kind of humor, rarely seen in movies. My kind of HUMOR. :-)

The blurb: The movie is about a young bank assistant named Arvid, who through a series of big events in his life decides to shake up his routine completely by getting in touch with his criminal brother and doing things his way. Sounds good? Sure, it's a good story. The problem is, that the film loses focus in the last half, ignoring Arvid's build to criminality in favour of a lot of shooting by secondary characters. The movie pivots on a random, accidental action by the hero (won't say any more about that) and the consequences hereof are totally out of his control. I know it's supposed to signify that Arvid can't handle his own life and that it is spinning out of control, but it didn't really work for me. On top of all this is a lot of dialogue, that tries hard to be Tarantinoesque; a few stinger plot points, that try hard to be Tarantinoesque; and a plot and characters that try...well, guess. The thing is that the film lacks the slow, calm groove underlying a film like Reservoir Dogs. There's always a sense of direction and foreboding, even though the characters aren't aware of this. 'I Kina spiser de hunde', on the other hand, is all over the place, trading a consistent story with a lot of morbid-funny 'hey-a-lot-of-people-got-killed'-type action.

All said and done, however, the film is still a good film, and worth seeing, if you're Danish or not. My gripe is that it's just a little too ambitious.

This is a master piece. Bringing a whole new concept to action and comedy.

I have never seen anything like this..........just love it.

Warning: if you are not to dark humor, this might not be the movie for you

The main characters are really good, they provide fine acting and a good story. I wish there would be more movies like this

I can really recommend this

Let's face it: Two out of three times you leave the theatre thinking 'Man! They put one of Hollywood's top-100 directors in the chair, paid two fine actors 20 million each, spent another 50 million on special effects, and what kind of script did they choose? One written by a ten-year-old! How could 486 people have been involved in this production and not one notice the holes the size of football fields in the storyline?

This time, for once, it's the other way round.

Anders Thomas Jensen's script is sheer genius.

Lasse Spang Olsen may have worked in the film industry most of his life (more or less monopolising the stuntman business in Denmark), and Kim Bodnia may call him `the only director I've worked with who actually makes people feel good about their performance on set', but his direction is still amateurish. I haven't contributed anything to the goofs page on this film, because the technical execution of it is so blatantly flawed that I wouldn't know where to start. Maybe Spang Olsen thinks he's the only one who will notice (since he's a 'professional').

So Lars von Trier is a self-centred neurotic, and Ole Bornedal is a nitpicking ingrate (or at least he was before he was hit by parenthood). But they make great movies. Bornedal's remake of Nightwatch was bound to be a failure. Why mess with perfection? (Besides, Josh Brolin doesn't have one tenth of Kim Bodnia's charisma).

But with 'I Kina Spiser De Hunde', I just can't wait for the remake!

This is a very interesting and fascinating Danish movie, especially if you do not know the story beforehand. As usually, Kim Bodnia makes a great character (both warm and cold), and so does "Arvid". You might find some similarities with Pusher and Bleeder.

A movie that is made on the dirt cheap, but still makes the story interesting and funny, what a way to make dark humor Danish.

Even if the beginning of the movie is a bit cringe because it may be a bit relatable it very fast becomes entertaining.

Which funny stunts and a weird but interesting way to have the narrative presented it just works really well.

The acting is so will done, the brother feels like a man who can explode all the time but I don't know if it's acting because he feels like that in most of the he movies in.

The movie feels like a huge false screamed, that we no longer have the old Danish way of making movies, we can now be dark funny and hilarious Crime Stories.

Entertaining and Danish.

This movie was made for one single purpose: To stage as many stunts as possible. The plot is brain dead and the morale juvenile and pretty terrifying.

The violence has no purpose at all but to give the stunt team a chance to show off. Not that the stunts are that great by international standards - they seem to be much like the "wow - look at all those bloody exit wounds"-stunts the same Spang-Olsen brothers staged for Danish TV-series during the eighties. Just bigger and more expensive this time.

The story line sucks.... big time. It's like the stunt team made a list of the stuff they wanted to make, and then the author made the plot fit this wish list. The plot is so stupid and noncoherent that you've got to laugh. The writer, Anders Thomas Jensen, tries to make it all come together in one of these Tarantino "it's all coming together´in the end'-endings and fails terribly.

The racist jokes just aren't funny - only stupid - and the violence is acted out way too cynically. The way the lead characters brutally guns down every one around them is absolutely without any irony. These facts makes the movie more a fascist statement than the funny action comedy it might have been supposed to be.

I give it 3/10: 1 for the stunts (well, OK for Danish standards), 1 for Nicolai Lie Kaas and 1 for Thomas Willum Jensen who are both splendid actors. What the h... are those guys doing in this movie?