Our 2022 edition of best Icelandic crime and mystery shows and movies on Netflix includes new atmospheric thrillers such as Katla.
Iceland crime series have become increasingly popular among the fans of Scandinavian crime: In the last decade, Iceland noir authors have certainly made their mark with with solid police procedurals with isolated backdrops.
On the movie and TV front, we’ve see the same trend: high-quality nail-biting stories that are both entertaining and satisfying. The following is the list of best Icelandic crime and thriller TV shows and movies of 2022 on Netflix:
- Case
- Katla
- And Breathe Normally
- The Valhalla Murders
Our overall list of crime, mystery and thriller shows of 2022 on Netflix is available here. For best Scandinavian crime shows, please go here.
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Case
`Case’ is an award-winning Icelandic crime-drama from director Baldvin Z. Set in Reykjavik, the story follows the events that ensue after the death of a young talented ballerina, who is found hanged on the National Theatre’s main stage.
Not convinced this is a suicide, two lawyers and a detective investigate the case further, only to discover there are more dark forces at play than originally thought. Struggling lawyer Logi is motivated to uncover the truth in an attempt to redeem his reputation, while his friend Brynhildur reveals a personal affiliation with the victim’s family. Elsewhere, detective Gabriela defies authority on her mission to find the killer.
Katla
Katla is an Icelandic mystery-drama television series created by Baltasar Kormákur and Sigurjón Kjartansson, and written by Kjartansson, Davíð Már Stefánsson, and Lilja Sigurðardóttir. It is directed by Kormákur, Börkur Sigþórsson, and Þóra Hilmarsdóttir.
In Katla, the catastrophic eruption of sub-glacial volcano Katla turns a nearby community’s world upside down as mysteries begin to emerge from the ice.
And Breathe Normally
An Icelandic single mother struggling with poverty and a Guinea-Bissauan asylum seeker facing deportation find their lives intertwined in unexpected ways.
The Valhalla Murders
One of our favorite Iceland Noir series on Netflix: The Valhalla Murders is an eight-episode police procedural television series produced in Iceland, originally airing there in 2019, then released worldwide in 2020 on Netflix.
It is based, with the usual artistic license taken, on a real-life incident. As described in an article on the website MEAWW, “In the late 1940s, an almost similar event took place in remote Iceland. A state-run institution … housed troubled, young boys, aged between seven and 14, where they were beaten and abused by the staff. Although in reality there was no murder, per se, as shown in the series, it caused quite a noise and the boys were eventually compensated in monetary terms.”
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About Nordic Noir
Nordic noir, also known as Scandinavian or Scandi Noir, is a genre of crime fiction set in a Nordic country that’s operatic and usually written from a police’s perspective. These thrillers are defined by their dark narratives, murky settings and troubled protagonists.
