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Explore Danish Director Nicolas Winding Refn’s 10 Movies

We will take a closer look at the famous director Nicolas Winding Refn, who has been producing non-stop since 1996, and his filmography.

In an era of culture and art where box office records are being broken one after another, and where constant change and synergy are being witnessed, directors with their own style and narrative are becoming increasingly rare. A true understanding of filmmaking is usually standardized within the elements of movies that are periodically appreciated, but original productions that fall outside of this continue to be produced. Nicolas Winding Refn is the director of these productions.

The fetishization of ideas and motifs used in Refn’s movies is, according to critics, due to the director’s own personal desires rather than artistic concerns. Nicolas Winding Refn has often stated in his interviews that he enjoys dividing audiences with his movies and that even provoking anger in them is positive for him.

Artistically, Refn’s style is iconic. His cinematography is characterized by the use of many symmetrical frames and angles to portray power and emotion. His color scheme choices are intended to emphasize emotion. Pale colors and neon colors play a major role in Nicolas Winding Refn’s movies. For example, Only God Forgives, a tale of revenge and redemption, is lit entirely in red light and neon.

Nicolas Winding Refn’s movies often feature violent and desire-driven stories. The plots of most of his movies take place in settings such as the underworld or Los Angeles businesses. However, one of the most important and prominent features of his work is that his movies include unknown but original characters such as “One-Eyed” or “Driver.” These heroes, who are almost silent throughout the movie, speak very little, but they risk everything to achieve their goals. Lonely characters pushed into dangerous scenarios are another of the cult traits created by Nicolas Winding Refn’s movies.


1.Only God Forgives

Only God Forgives

Written and directed by Nicolas Winding Refn, the 2013 action movie Only God Forgives was nominated for the Palme d’Or at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival. The movie, which grossed $10 million, more than doubling its budget, stars Ryan Gosling in the lead role.

The setting is the terrifying underworld of Thailand. Billy (Tom Burke), responsible for the gruesome murder of a sixteen-year-old Thai prostitute, is out for revenge. Billy’s brother, Julian (Ryan Gosling), who owns a Bangkok Muay Thai club that serves as a front for descending into the underworld, becomes entangled with his mother, Crystal (Dame Kristin Scott Thomas), a respected figure in the underworld who orders him to avenge his brother’s death. However, the person behind Billy’s murder is Chang (Vithaya Pansringarm), a katana-wielding “Avenging Angel.” Crystal vows to avenge her son’s death on Chang, who orchestrates acts of revenge and delivers his own swift justice. But can she stand in the way of Chang’s relentless pursuit of justice?

Information about Only God Forgives

  • Title: Only God Forgives
  • Director: Nicolas Winding Refn
  • Cast: Ryan Gosling, Kristin Scott Thomas, Vithaya Pansringarm, Yayaying Rhatha Phongam
  • Release Year: 2013
  • Duration: 90 minutes
  • Country: Denmark, France, United States
  • Genre: Crime, Drama, Thriller
  • Language: English, Thai
  • Age Rating: R
  • Trailer: Watch the Trailer on YouTube
  • Available Platforms: Amazon Prime Video, Hulu
  • IMDb Rating: 5.7/10
  • Similar Movies: Drive (2011), The Neon Demon (2016), Blue Velvet (1986)
  • IMDb Link: Only God Forgives on IMDb

2.Fear X

Fear X

The 2013 psychological thriller Fear X was nominated for Best Movie at the Sitges Festival. The movie stars John Turturro and premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. Despite being a major box office failure, it was still regarded by critics as an impressive movie.

After his wife is murdered in a parking garage, Harry, a private security guard at a shopping mall, becomes obsessed with finding out who killed her and why. He meticulously examines all of the mall’s security camera footage. After discovering a meaningful clue, he finds his investigation taking an increasingly darker turn.

Information about Fear X

  • Title: Fear X
  • Director: Nicolas Winding Refn
  • Cast: John Turturro, Deborah Kara Unger, Stephen McIntyre, William Allen Young
  • Release Year: 2003
  • Duration: 91 minutes
  • Country: Denmark, United Kingdom
  • Genre: Mystery, Thriller
  • Language: English
  • Age Rating: R
  • Trailer: Watch the Trailer on YouTube
  • Available Platforms: Amazon Prime Video, Hulu
  • IMDb Rating: 6.1/10
  • Similar Movies: Lost Highway (1997), Mulholland Drive (2001), The Machinist (2004)
  • IMDb Link: Fear X on IMDb

3.Valhalla Rising

Valhalla Rising

Valhalla Rising is a 2009 historical adventure movie starring veteran actor Mads Mikkelsen. Despite its budget of nearly $6 million, the movie grossed only around $700,000, making it another of Nicolas Winding Refn’s serious box office failures. However, the movie has garnered a dedicated fan base.

A mute warrior with supernatural power, One Eye, lived around 1000 AD and was held captive for years by the Scandinavian chieftain Barde. With the help of Are, a male slave, One Eye killed his captor and escaped, embarking on a journey into the heart of darkness.

During their journey, One Eye and Are board a Viking ship, which is soon swallowed by an endless fog. The fog only lifts when the crew sights an unknown land. As this new world begins to reveal its secrets, the Vikings face a terrible and bloody fate. Meanwhile, One Eye discovers his true self and finds the answers to his deepest questions.

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Information about Valhalla Rising

  • Title: Valhalla Rising
  • Director: Nicolas Winding Refn
  • Cast: Mads Mikkelsen, Maarten Stevenson, Gordon Brown, Andrew Flanagan
  • Release Year: 2009
  • Duration: 93 minutes
  • Country: Denmark, United Kingdom
  • Genre: Adventure, Drama, Fantasy
  • Language: English, Norse
  • Age Rating: R
  • Trailer: Watch the Trailer on YouTube
  • Available Platforms: Amazon Prime Video, Hulu
  • IMDb Rating: 6.0/10
  • Similar Movies: The Witch (2015), The Northman (2022), The Revenant (2015)
  • IMDb Link: Valhalla Rising on IMDb

4.The Neon Demon

The Neon Demon

Elle Fanning stars in the 2016 psychological thriller The Neon Demon, which won the Best Soundtrack award at the Cannes Film Festival and was nominated for the Palme d’Or and Queer Palm awards at the same festival. The movie premiered at Cannes.

Jesse, a sixteen-year-old girl who has lost her family and is considered “perfectly beautiful” by those around her, comes to Los Angeles hoping to become a successful model. Living alone in a motel, Jesse has photos taken for her portfolio by Dean, a talented aspiring photographer, and forms a friendly relationship with him. At a fashion show, Jesse meets makeup artist Ruby, who invites her to a party, where she befriends Gigi and Sarah, regular models consumed by envy. Meanwhile, the agency finds Jesse beautiful with “something” that makes her different and sends her to professional photographer Jack. Jesse quickly catches the attention of the industry and has a successful start to her career. However, the ambitious people in the industry, willing to do anything for success, are ready to go to great lengths to get their hands on that “something” in Jesse.

Information about The Neon Demon

  • Title: The Neon Demon
  • Director: Nicolas Winding Refn
  • Cast: Elle Fanning, Jena Malone, Bella Heathcote, Abbey Lee
  • Release Year: 2016
  • Duration: 118 minutes
  • Country: Denmark, France, United States
  • Genre: Horror, Thriller
  • Language: English
  • Age Rating: R
  • Trailer: Watch the Trailer on YouTube
  • Available Platforms: Amazon Prime Video, Hulu
  • IMDb Rating: 6.1/10
  • Similar Movies: Black Swan (2010), Suspiria (2018), Under the Skin (2013)
  • IMDb Link: The Neon Demon on IMDb

5.Bleeder

Bleeder

The 1999 crime drama Bleeder stands out for featuring music almost entirely throughout the movie and for collaborating with many Danish artists. Despite not being very successful in the market, the movie, which stars veteran actors such as Kim Bodnia, Mads Mikkelsen, Zlatko Buric, and Liv Corfixen, is a powerful work of cinema.

Leo and Louise are a young couple living together in Copenhagen. While Louise prefers to spend time at home, Leo is social and often goes out with his friends. However, when Louise confesses to Leo that she is pregnant, something ignites within him, and Leo starts to act cold and distant toward her. His anger and self-hatred gradually lead to violence against Louise. After a confrontation with a racist bar bouncer named Louis, Leo is seriously attacked and injured. But is violence merely a fact, or is it the trigger and messenger of a series of unexpected events?

Information about Bleeder

  • Title: Bleeder
  • Director: Nicolas Winding Refn
  • Cast: Kim Bodnia, Mads Mikkelsen, Rikke Louise Andersson, Liv Corfixen
  • Release Year: 1999
  • Duration: 98 minutes
  • Country: Denmark
  • Genre: Drama, Thriller
  • Language: Danish
  • Age Rating: R
  • Trailer: Watch the Trailer on YouTube
  • Available Platforms: Amazon Prime Video
  • IMDb Rating: 6.8/10
  • Similar Movies: Pusher (1996), Drive (2011), Bronson (2008)
  • IMDb Link: Bleeder on IMDb

6.Bronson

Bronson

Bronson, a 2008 biographical crime movie that was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival and won the Best Film award at the Sydney Film Festival, tells the story of Charles Bronson, England’s most dangerous criminal, portrayed by Tom Hardy. Bronson, now 69, who spent years in solitary confinement, greatly enjoyed the movie, which recounts the story of his own life. In an interview, he stated that he would always live on through it, even if he died soon.

In 1974, a hot-headed 19-year-old named Michael Peterson decides he wants to make a name for himself. To do this, he attempts to rob a post office with a homemade shotgun and a mind filled with baseless fantasies. Peterson is quickly caught and sentenced to seven years in prison, a sentence that is later extended to 34 years, leaving him furious.

After spending 30 years of his life in solitary confinement, Michael Peterson’s childlike personality completely disappears, and his alter ego, ‘Charles Bronson’, emerges. Bronson is a completely different person and will continue to take over his mind until there is no trace of the old Michael left.

Information about Bronson

  • Title: Bronson
  • Director: Nicolas Winding Refn
  • Cast: Tom Hardy, Kelly Adams, Luke Evans, Bronson Webb
  • Release Year: 2008
  • Duration: 92 minutes
  • Country: United Kingdom
  • Genre: Biography, Crime, Drama
  • Language: English
  • Age Rating: R
  • Trailer: Watch the Trailer on YouTube
  • Available Platforms: Amazon Prime Video, Hulu
  • IMDb Rating: 7.1/10
  • Similar Movies: The Football Factory (2004), Pusher (1996), A Clockwork Orange (1971)
  • IMDb Link: Bronson on IMDb

7.Pusher

Pusher

The 1996 detective thriller Pusher is not only the first movie of the famous actor Mads Mikkelsen, but it is also a significant work that has etched its name in the history of Danish cinema in golden letters. Pusher, which has two adaptations in English and Hindi, released in 2010 and 2012 respectively, was initially conceived as a 5-minute short movie. The movie, noted for its realism, won Zlatko Buric the Best Supporting Actor award at the Bodil Awards.

Frank is a former drug dealer who, unable to pay the large sum of money he owes for the drugs he obtained through a deal, falls into debt to the mafia and is caught by the police. He manages to dump the drugs in a nearby lake but cannot repay his ruthless supplier. Frank now embarks on a long journey to collect dirty money in the underworld of Copenhagen.

Information about Pusher

  • Title: Pusher
  • Director: Nicolas Winding Refn
  • Cast: Kim Bodnia, Mads Mikkelsen, Lilya Eslami, Zlatko Buric
  • Release Year: 1996
  • Duration: 105 minutes
  • Country: Denmark
  • Genre: Crime, Drama, Thriller
  • Language: Danish
  • Age Rating: NR
  • Trailer: Watch the Trailer on YouTube
  • Available Platforms: Amazon Prime Video, Hulu
  • IMDb Rating: 7.2/10
  • Similar Movies: Bleeder (1999), Trainspotting (1996), Requiem for a Dream (2000)
  • IMDb Link: Pusher on IMDb

8.Pusher II

Pusher II

Nicolas Winding Refn wanted to make a sequel to Pusher due to financial difficulties, and this second movie was just as popular as the first. The 2004 crime movie, also starring Mads Mikkelsen, received many awards and nominations.

Tony is out of prison, trying to regain his life and self-respect. However, those waiting for him outside don’t seem willing to let that happen. But can he make a living against all these challenges?

Information about Pusher II

  • Title: Pusher II
  • Director: Nicolas Winding Refn
  • Cast: Mads Mikkelsen, Ole Sondberg, Anne Sørensen, Zlatko Buric
  • Release Year: 2004
  • Duration: 100 minutes
  • Country: Denmark
  • Genre: Crime, Drama
  • Language: Danish
  • Age Rating: NR
  • Trailer: Watch the Trailer on YouTube
  • Available Platforms: Amazon Prime Video, Hulu
  • IMDb Rating: 7.4/10
  • Similar Movies: Pusher (1996), Trainspotting (1996), Layer Cake (2004)
  • IMDb Link: Pusher II on IMDb

9.Pusher III

Pusher III

The final movie in the Pusher series, the 2005 crime movie Pusher 3, is another critically acclaimed production by Nicolas Winding Refn. Due to the poor reviews the movie received in Denmark, Nicolas Winding Refn decided to stop making movies in Denmark.

In this third and final installment of the Pusher trilogy, charismatic Serbian chef Milo prepares food for his daughter’s birthday and attends rehab meetings to kick his drug addiction. But just when he thinks he’s got his life in order—in keeping with the traditional plot of Pusher movies—he becomes involved in a drug deal and murder. Things don’t go quite as planned for Milo.

Information about Pusher III

  • Title: Pusher III
  • Director: Nicolas Winding Refn
  • Cast: Zlatko Buric, Mads Mikkelsen, Anne Sørensen, Ralitsa Paskaleva
  • Release Year: 2005
  • Duration: 97 minutes
  • Country: Denmark
  • Genre: Crime, Drama
  • Language: Danish
  • Age Rating: NR
  • Trailer: Watch the Trailer on YouTube
  • Available Platforms: Amazon Prime Video, Hulu
  • IMDb Rating: 7.3/10
  • Similar Movies: Pusher (1996), Pusher II (2004), Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998)
  • IMDb Link: Pusher III on IMDb

10.Drive

Drive

The 2011 action drama movie “Drive,” which received an Oscar nomination for Best Sound Editing, is an adaptation of James Sallis’ 2005 novel of the same name. The movie stars Ryan Gosling and grossed over $80 million against a budget of $15 million. It was shot in Los Angeles.

The movie, which earned Nicolas Winding Refn the Best Director award at the Cannes Film Festival, was also nominated for 4 BAFTA awards and the Palme d’Or. This movie is the director’s best-known work and the one to which he owes his worldwide fame.

This movie tells the story of a “driver” (Ryan Gosling) who works as a car mechanic in a garage but also drives cars as a stuntman in movies. The “driver” also works for criminal gangs at night to earn extra money. He becomes close to his neighbor Irene and her child. When Irene’s husband is released from prison with a huge debt, the “driver” agrees to help him. However, things go wrong, and the “driver” finds himself in the middle of events he did not want to be involved in. Will he be able to escape these events and protect the people he cares about?

Information about Drive

  • Title: Drive
  • Director: Nicolas Winding Refn
  • Cast: Ryan Gosling, Carey Mulligan, Bryan Cranston, Oscar Isaac
  • Release Year: 2011
  • Duration: 100 minutes
  • Country: United States
  • Genre: Action, Crime, Drama
  • Language: English
  • Age Rating: R
  • Trailer: Watch the Trailer on YouTube
  • Available Platforms: Amazon Prime Video, Hulu
  • IMDb Rating: 7.8/10
  • Similar Movies: Pusher (1996), Only God Forgives (2013), Nightcrawler (2014)
  • IMDb Link: Drive on IMDb

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