Jar City is the best type of murder mystery -- moody, intelligent and constantly keeping its audience on their toes. Ingvar Eggert Sigurðsson is great as the methodical detective who pulls apart each buried clue from a cold case to help solve a fresh one. Similarities between the cases run parallel but remain unique, and the story smartly unravels without distractions.
The Icelandic location is infused into the film, as weathered signs of modern times fit into a harsh and desolate landscape. A heavy, brooding chorus guides the mood, yet characters are also allowed to tease one another (in a land of drive-thru sheep heads and prisoners on unguarded leave, it's hard not to).
Arnaldur Indriðason's novel does not insult its audience's intelligence, and director Baltasar Kormákur (101 Reykjavík) and cinematographer Bergsteinn Björgúlfsson present a beautifully frozen Iceland carefully turned on its head.