King Of Devils Island review

Scum goes to Scandinavia in this Norwegian drama about 'maladjusted' youths sent to an island borstal who rebel against their oppressors.

Based on real events from 1915, Marius Holst’s bleak slow-burner puts sullen inmate Benjamin Helstad on a collision course with Stellan Skarsgård’s paedophile protecting governor.

The If -style revolt is tense and well-staged, but it’s finished too soon to elevate a largely languid whole.

After so much Stieg Larsson and The Killing though, it’s pleasing to see something from the Nordic countries that doesn’t involve police procedure and chunky jumpers.