Border ★★★½
THE most bizarre film of 2019 to date is the Scandinavian fantasy/drama Border.
This is the second film from Swedish/Iranian director Ali Abbassi but more importantly was adapted for the screen by Swedish author John Ajivide Lindqvist.
Lindqvist wrote the source novel and screenplay for the much-revered original version of Let The Right One In released back in 2008.
Border is adapted from Lindqvist’s own short story called Grans and is a fascinating hybrid of drama, romance, horror and fantasy that also has significant things to say about modern society’s treatment of both the vulnerable and innocent and those who may not fit accepted norms.
It is anchored by two great lead performances. Eva Melander plays Tina, an officer with the customs service at a sea port entry point, who has two distinct features.
Firstly, she has facial features that could be considered a little deformed and secondly she has an uncanny ability to smell fear and guilt on other people which makes her invaluable. Tina is able to pick out people entering who are hiding liquor, drugs and even child pornography using just this innate gift.
Away from work Tina lives on her ramshackle rural property that she shares with Roland who has an obsession with breeding and showing dogs. The pair aren’t intimate, although Roland would like to be at times.
Despite her gift, Tina’s life is fairly mundane until two occurrences. Firstly, after she uncovers the child pornography on a phone her manager asks her to help the police investigate the source.
Secondly, a strange man with a similar facial deformity to Tina, comes through the customs hall. Tina is both intrigued and suspicious of the man, played by Finnish actor Eero Milonoff, but a search of his luggage only reveals a bag full of maggots and a device he claims is a maggot incubator. A further strip search, however, reveals something far more unusual about Vore.
Tina’s interest in Vore eventually leads to friendship and she invites him to stay on her property in the guest house. Roland and their closest neighbours, who have a new-born baby, are wary of the strange-looking and acting guest, but the attraction between the pair grows.
The publicity for Border states what happens next “is unlike anything you’ve seen before.” That’s over-stating a little but you have to be prepared to go on the journey that encompasses dark themes and body horror in equal parts to mystery and romance but always in service of life-affirming and thought-provoking messages.
There are some striking visuals, sometimes repellent and other times strangely alluring and touching, and Melander and Milonoff are terrific, always retaining humanity even beneath the exceptional make-up.
Border is a beautiful Frankenstein of a film.