Partly because the actor playing him has no dramatic range, the transformation of Jakob from softhearted reform-school punk into sadistic iron man isn't the slightest bit convincing.

As this connoisseur of pain punches and lurches his way through the film, you see exactly how antisocial impulses can be warped into a code of outlaw values.

"[1]David Stratton of Variety described it as "violent, nihilistic and often repellent, and yet its bold visuals and unexpected elements of humor and romance make it riveting viewing.

"[2] According to Stratton, "as a director, Oplev shows he has talent: his mixture of moods works well, he gets strong performances from most cast members, and he pushes the narrative along at an urgent pace....But as a writer, he’s less successful; it’s surely not enough these days for Janus to blame his lifestyle on a lack of mother's love (which he does) or to have characters utter corny lines like 'It’s us against the world.'

There’s also far too much unmotivated violence (Janus assaulting a shopping mall security guard is a totally unnecessary sequence) and a few cheap and obvious jokes at the expense of authority figures.