Adventure does not end 'At World's End'!

Anders Thomas Jensen's pedigree - Wilbur Wants to Kill Himself, The Green Butchers and Adam's Apples - is dry humor. What he has done in At World's End has taken that humour and laced it around impressive adventure set pieces. His screenplay has its share of interesting characters and villains; including James Bond baddie Steven Berkoff playing it perhaps a bit over the top as the evil Jack Pudovski, who leads a team of mercenaries hunting for Severin's flower. But one cannot ignore the lure of a film that promises adventure and romance reminiscent of The Temple of Doom or Romancing the Stone. Especially when films such as those are part of the foundation of any cinema enthusiast who grew up in 1980s. And rather than lampoon those films of old and mine them for as much comedy and adventure gold as possible Jensen's screenplay along with director Tomas Villum Jensen gives us a suitable companion piece. Tomas Villum Jensen has worked with the other Jenson and Kaas a couple times already which would explain why this film flows as well as it does. This trio of Jensen, Jensen and Kaas not only sounds like an awesome name for a law firm but they've made a pretty awesome film as well.

Nikolaj Lie Kaas, who should be a familiar face from Jensen projects before, is almost unrecognizable as Adrian Gabrielsen [maybe I just need to see him in more films with hair]. Adrien would do himself a disservice by evaluating himself. He tries to hide that he still smokes. He cannot stand up to his overbearing father even in light of the irony that he learns his mother has lung cancer as his father puffs away besides her. Adrian becomes the accidental adventurist though through a series of misadventures that begins with something as annoying as a toilet that won't flush. How he finds himself in these predicaments he doesn't know but once he learns about the flower trouble has a way of finding him. And after he and Severin break out of prison he has no choice but to go through the jungle with him and catch a boat to Singapore. Already familiar with the writing style of Jensen, Kaas knows how to deliver his dead pan comedy to perfection. 

Birgitte Hjort Sørensen as Beate really steals the show though. Not at all difficult to look at she is more than mere eye candy; though the costume department does try to distract us by putting her in that red cheongsam like Willie from The Temple of Doom. Nice try `The Two Jeans` of Costume Design. You cannot distract me with her sexy body... her long legs that... go on for... her... eyes... Where was I? Yes. Steals the show! That she does. Beate really has the best lines and a share of good moments in the film. Unlike her costumed predecessor she's more Indy than Willie; a get up a go kind of girl she gets right in the mix with Adrian and Severin.

All in all At World's End is a fun throwback to 80s adventure cinema with a tinge of romantic comedy. I have an urge to listen to some Billy Ocean all of a sudden.