Enforcement (2021) Review
Directed by: Anders Ølholm and Frederik Louis Hviid
Starring: Jacob Lohmann and Simon Sears
Synopsis: The exact details of what took place while Talib Ben Hassi (19) was in police custody remain unclear. Police officers, Jens and Mike, are on routine patrol in Svalegården’s ghetto when news of Talib’s death comes in over the radio, igniting uncontrollable, pent-up rage in the ghetto’s youth, who lust for revenge. Suddenly, the two officers find themselves fair game and must fight tooth and claw to find a way out.
Review: This top-class Danish thriller delivers an exceptionally powerful storyline with heated tension throughout.
Enforcement is based on a hot topic right now — police brutality towards minority communities — with similarities to the infamous George Floyd case and the corresponding riots in 2020.
The story follows two cops, Jens and Mike: Jens is a strong and silent type, but Mike is a racist time-bomb just waiting to go off — he is hot-headed and abuses his powers as a police officer.
While on police patrol in a small ‘ghetto’ named Svalegården, Jens and Mike arrest a young Muslim boy named Amos. Shortly after, a Muslim death caused by police brutality is announced on the radio, and immediately the story intensifies. Jens and Mike are targeted by rioters and looters; they try to escape but get surrounded, so they must fight for survival.
Enforcement isn’t the average ‘meat and potatoes’ cop-thriller, so to speak; it’s full of layers. We watch events unfold from all perspectives: the racially abused, the racially abusive, and those who choose to turn a blind eye. By the end, we see each character’s point of view, whether we like it or not.
Overall, Enforcement is a must-watch; if not for an adrenaline pumping thrill, then to educate people on systematic racism, police brutality, and why movements such as Black Lives Matter are so important. It is gripping, to say the least, and will keep you on the edge of your seat right up until the credits roll.
