{{Short description|2020 Danish action comedy film}} {{Infobox film | name = Riders of Justice | image = Riders_of_Justice_poster.jpg | caption = Theatrical release poster | native_name = | director = Anders Thomas Jensen | producer = {{ubl|Sidsel Hybschmann|Sisse Graum Jørgensen}} | writer = Anders Thomas Jensen | starring = {{ubl|Mads Mikkelsen|Nikolaj Lie Kaas|Andrea Heick Gadeberg|Lars Brygmann|Nicolas Bro}} | music = Jeppe Kaas | cinematography = Kasper Tuxen | editing = {{ubl|Anders Albjerg Kristiansen|Nicolaj Monberg}} | studio = Zentropa Entertainments | distributor = Nordisk Film | released = {{Film date|2020|11|19}} | runtime = 116 minutes | country = Denmark | language = Danish <br /> Estonian | budget = €5.3 million<br>($6.4 million)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://variety.com/2020/film/global/mads-mikkelsen-trustnordisk-andres-thomas-jensen-riders-of-justice-1203466249/|title=Mads Mikkelsen to Headline Anders Thomas Jensen's 'Riders of Justice,' TrustNordisk to Handle Sales|date=14 January 2020}}</ref> | gross = $7.2 million<ref name="BOM">{{cite web|url= https://www.boxofficemojo.com/release/rl2725741313/weekend/ |title= Riders of Justice (2021) |website=Box Office Mojo|access-date= June 24, 2021}}</ref><ref name="NUM">{{cite web|url= https://m.the-numbers.com/movie/Retfaerdighedens-Ryttere-(Denmark)#tab=summary |title= Riders of Justice (2021) |website=The Numbers|access-date= June 24, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url= https://variety.com/2021/film/global/local-titles-cushion-nordic-box-office-plunge-2020-1234901298/ |title= Local Titles Cushion Nordic Box Office Plunge in 2020| website=Variety|date= 5 February 2021|access-date= February 5, 2021}}</ref> }}
'''''Riders of Justice''''' ({{langx|da|'''Retfærdighedens Ryttere'''}}) is a 2020 Danish action comedy film, written and directed by Anders Thomas Jensen. The film was released in Denmark on 19 November 2020, receiving positive reviews from critics.
== Plot == Mathilde loses her mother in a train collision and her father, Markus, a soldier serving in Afghanistan, comes home to look after his young daughter. Mathilde and Markus find it difficult to come to terms with the tragedy, causing strain in their relationship, with Markus rejecting counselling. Markus is approached by a man named Otto (who was on the same train with Markus's wife) who informs him that the collision wasn't accidental, but rather a murder to eliminate a key witness about to give evidence against the leader of the "Riders of Justice" motorbike-criminal gang.
With the help of Otto's hacker friends, Lennart and Emmenthaler, the group identifies a suspicious man who left the train seconds before the accident as the brother of the Riders of Justice's leader. The group goes to the man's house, intending to interrogate him for information about the accident, but Markus loses control when the man threatens them with a gun and kills him out of anger. Lennart disposes of the evidence, encountering a bound young Ukrainian boy named Bodashka. The Riders interrogate Bodashka for information, leading to their identification of Emmenthaler.
The Riders attempt a drive-by shooting on the group, but Markus is able to kill the attackers and rescue Bodashka. Mathilde sees Markus and the three hackers talking, but Lennart lies and explains that they are actually a therapy group attempting to help Markus with his trauma. The group then attack a Riders meeting, killing several of them.
As the ensemble prepares another hit on the Riders of Justice, Bodashka explains that the suspicious man was not on the train; Lennart and Otto had convinced Emmenthaler to accept a less accurate facial recognition result, and the suspicious man was actually an Egyptian tourist, meaning that their crusade against the Riders of Justice was committed in error, and the evidence they relied on was a simple coincidence. Markus, learning this, breaks down in anger and frustration, finally lowering his stony facade and crying.
The next day, the Riders follow clues in Mathilde's boyfriend's social media and attack the group at Markus' house. Several of the group are injured and, while Markus kills several, Mathilde is taken hostage, and Markus surrenders. However, Otto, Lennart, and Bodashka (Emmenthaler does not shoot), using weapons training Markus gave them earlier, emerge and kill the Riders, saving Markus, Mathilde and her boyfriend.
A few months later, at Christmas, the entire group join to celebrate and open presents, and Markus and Mathilde have reconciled.
== Cast == *Mads Mikkelsen as Markus Hansen *Nikolaj Lie Kaas as Otto Hoffmann *{{Interlanguage link|Andrea Heick Gadeberg|da}} as Mathilde Hansen *Lars Brygmann as Lennart *Nicolas Bro as Emmenthaler *Gustav Lindh as Bodashka *Roland Møller as Kurt *Albert Rudbeck Lindhardt as Sirius *Anne Birgitte Lind as Emma Hansen *{{Interlanguage link|Omar Shargawi|da}} as Palle Olesen / Aharon Nahas Shadid *Jacob Lohmann as Kenneth *Henrik Noël Olesen as Noah *Gustav Dyekjær Giese as Adrian
== Reception ==
=== Box office ===
The movie opened to Danish cinemas on November 19, 2020, selling 150,486 tickets for the opening weekend and pre-premieres; beating out ''Another Round'' for best selling opening weekend in Denmark that year.<ref name="seoghoer-opening-day-sales">{{Cite news |last=Leitisstein |first=Mariah |date=2020-11-26 |title=Sælger flere billetter end "Druk": "Retfærdighedens ryttere" er et megahit |language=danish |work=Se og Hør |url=https://www.seoghoer.dk/kendte/saelger-flere-billetter-end-druk-retfaerdighedens-ryttere-er-et-megahit |access-date=2021-01-19}}</ref>
=== Critical response === Review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes reports an approval rating of {{RT data|score}} based on {{Rotten Tomatoes data|count|qid=Q87126473}} reviews, with an average rating of {{RT data|average}}. The website's critics consensus reads: "A darkly humorous revenge thriller with satisfying depth and a dash of savory quirk, ''Riders of Justice'' makes another compelling case for Mads Mikkelsen as an all-purpose leading man."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/riders_of_justice|title=Riders of Justice (2020)|website=Rotten Tomatoes|publisher=Fandango|access-date={{RT data|access date|df=dmy}}}}</ref> {{MC film|1=<!-- score -->81|2=<!-- reviews -->25|access-date=29 December 2021}}<ref>{{cite mc|id=riders-of-justice |type=movie|title= Riders of Justice Reviews|access-date=May 19, 2021}}</ref>
The film was met with a favorable critical response from the Danish press.<ref name="kino-rave-reviews">{{Cite web |last=Teglgaard |first=Stine |date=2020-11-18 |title=Anmelderne jubler: 'Retfærdighedens ryttere' er den bedste siden 'Blinkende lygter' |language=danish |url=https://www.kino.dk/nyheder/2020/11/anmelderne-jubler-retfaerdighedens-ryttere-er-den-bedste-siden-blinkende-lygter |access-date=2021-01-19 |website=kino.dk}}</ref> ''Politiken'' called ''Riders of Justice'' "Anders Thomas Jensen's best movie since ''Flickering Lights''", giving it 5 out of 6 hearts.<ref name="politiken-review">{{Cite news |last=Grundahl |first=Joakim |date=2020-11-18 |title=5 hjerter: Stjernespækket film er Anders Thomas Jensens bedste siden 'Blinkende lygter' |work=Politiken |url=https://politiken.dk/kultur/film_og_tv/art8002207/Stjernesp%C3%A6kket-film-er-Anders-Thomas-Jensens-bedste-siden-Blinkende-lygter | language=Danish }}</ref>
''B.T.'' remarked that the movie does not have as many memorable scenes as a number of Anders Thomas Jensen's previous movies, but has as significant an emotional impact as ''Another Round'',<ref name="bt-review">{{Cite news |last=Dam Nygaard |first=Kristian |date=2020-11-19 |title=Anmeldelse: Absurd sjov - men det er ikke Mads Mikkelsens skyld |work=B.T. |url=https://www.bt.dk/anmeldelser/anmeldelse-absurd-sjov-men-det-er-ikke-mads-mikkelsens-skyld |access-date=2021-01-19 | language=Danish }}</ref> another film released that year with Mikkelsen in a leading role. ==Remake== In late May 2024 it was reported that an English-language remake is in development, with Tyler Nilson and Michael Schwartz directing and writing the screenplay, while Shawn Levy, Dan Levine, and Dan Cohen will serve as producers.<ref>{{Cite web|first=Justin|last=Kroll|url=https://deadline.com/2024/05/peanut-butter-falcon-michael-schwartz-tyler-nilson-riders-of-justice-1235945909/|title=‘Peanut Butter Falcon’ Filmmakers Michael Schwartz & Tyler Nilson To Helm ‘Riders Of Justice’ For Lionsgate; 21 Laps Producing|website=Deadline Hollywood|date=May 31, 2024}}</ref>
== References == {{reflist}}
== External links == * {{IMDb title|11655202|Riders of Justice}}
{{Anders Thomas Jensen}}
Category:2020 action comedy films Category:2020 films Category:Danish action comedy films Category:Danish comedy-drama films Category:Films directed by Anders Thomas Jensen Category:Films with screenplays by Anders Thomas Jensen Category:2020s Danish-language films Category:Zentropa films Category:2020 Danish films