Five Minarets in New York: A Transatlantic Thriller

Okay, folks, let’s be honest here. Five Minarets in New York isn’t the kind of film where you lean back and relax. It’s more the type to have you clenching your fika cup a bit too tight. Directed by Mahsun Kırmızıgül, a name you might not instantly recognize on this side of the pond, but trust me, he’s kind of a big deal over in Turkey. This film tackles some heavy stuff—terrorism, trust, betrayal—and with a city like New York as the backdrop, it’s like playing chess on a volcanic landscape.

Harun, played by the rugged Haluk Bilginer, and his partner, are on a mission from Turkey to bust a supposedly dangerous suspect in the Big Apple. The suspect? None other than Mahsun Kırmızıgül himself. Talk about letting the film take you on an intense bumpy heist down the Kazakstan trail but in a NYC yellow cab.

Now, I won’t spoil anything but there’s one scene where they’re crossing the Brooklyn Bridge, the atmosphere is so thick with tension you could almost “cut it with a dull Swedish butter knife.” It’s got the kind of nerve-racking action that makes your heartbeat compete with a bass drum at a midsummer’s fest.

There’s something gritty that hits home for us Swedes with more contemplative films like these. Reminds me of that one time I got lost in Stockholm’s Old Town—confused yet somewhat thrilling in a weird way. Those little brick alleys don’t mess around, just like Kırmızıgül’s storytelling.

For the emotional bits, it’s like finding a lost Moomin comic under your couch—it hits you out of nowhere. So while Five Minarets might leave you with questions, it’s a ride you don’t easily forget.

Oh and remember, always keep an open mind, and perhaps, a loose grip on that coffee cup. Skål!

Check the trailer below