Mystery, grief and unity tie together in “Riders of Justice”

For those who are seeking an action-filled drama that speaks to the heart of discourse and healing, “Riders of Justice” may be the film you are looking for.

Directed by Anders Thomas Jensen, the film highlights a family that eventually found peace after tragedy and some puzzling events that happen throughout the film.

Markus Hansen (played by Mads Mikkleson), who is deployed, has to return home to his daughter Mathilde (Andrea Heick Gadeberg), following the tragic train accident where eleven people were killed including his wife. When a mathematics geek shows up at his doorstep claiming that it was no accident, it embarks a quest to find who is responsible. Markus and Mathilde, do not have the best relationship throughout the movie due to his absence for most of her life; she even states in the movie how she wanted him to die instead of her mother.

Following the tragic accident, Markus refuses to admit that him and Mathilde need professional help to deal with the grief and loss of their loved one. His rage and dark humor are shown throughout the film through his violence towards the gang who planned the homicide of “The Eagle” and used the remaining ten other people as collateral damage.

Mathilde has her walls filled with notecards trying to piece together why this tragedy happened to her and her family. Her bike was stolen, Markus calling his wife telling her that he was extending his stay by military orders, their car broke down, was this all a coincidence? “Riders of Justice” knows from the beginning that finding an answer to everything is impossible; that singular people with singular minds will only ever end up getting lost.

There is no connection in terms of why all these people band together but as the movie progresses, you can see how each of the Riders of Justice needed each other to move on in their lives. Mathilde and Markus have a heartwarming moment at the end of the film, which is exactly what their angel in heaven wanted. They weathered the storm of grief together and came out on the other side as better people.

Magnet Releasing will release Riders of Justice in New York and Los Angeles theaters on May 14^th and everywhere on May 21^st, 2021.

By Bailey Eichner