Ok, where do I even begin with Heatstroke? Gotta be honest, I had some mixed feelings about this flick. Picture this: it’s a Sunday afternoon, you’re supposed to be chillin’, but instead, you’re thrown into the sun-scorched wilds of Africa with Stephen Dorff. Can you imagine? It’s like trying to enjoy a kaffe på verandan while a helikopter is landing in your backyard—utter chaos.

First off, the cinematography is banging. I mean, those sweeping desert shots, you can almost feel the heat on your skin. It reminded me of a summer I spent in Dalarna, with the relentless sun beating down and not a lick of breeze to cool off. That sense of dehydration and desperation is nailed perfectly here.

The story, though, well, that’s where it gets a bit dicey. So, Stephen Dorff’s character gets killed pretty early on, which was a shocker. I think? Maybe a bit too soon? Then you’re left to follow the girlfriend (Sveva Alviti, who is actually pretty solid) and her stepdaughter trying to survive against a bunch of gun-toting baddies. It’s like a mix of B-action and survival drama, but never really decides what it wants to be.

The action scenes are decent but nothing to write home about. It’s not exactly Die Hard, you know? And some of the character decisions… geez. There’s a moment when Alviti’s character chooses to go into an obvious trap, and I’m just sitting there going, “Noooo, ta det lugnt!” But into the trap, she goes.

Now, about the themes of survival and family—I think the film does manage to pull your heartstrings a bit. Like that time I got lost in the woods during a svampplockning trip, and my cousin and I had to navigate back—okay, maybe not exactly the same high stakes, but you get what I mean. It’s the human spirit against the odds, and that’s pretty relatable regardless.

In the end, Heatstroke is one of those movies you might pop on if you’re in the mood for some mindless action and pretty landscapes. Just don’t expect a masterpiece. It’s like a fika that runs out of bullar too soon—satisfying, but leaves you wanting something more.

Here’s the trailer if you’re curious: Heatstroke