The Absent One

Denmark, 2014. A former police officer asks Carl Mørck, head of the cold case unit known as Department Q, to look into why the brutal murder of his young twins in 1994 remains unresolved. Although a local resident confessed and was convicted, Carl and his partner Assad begin to suspect that the case was closed too neatly. As they dig deeper, they uncover inconsistencies in the official story and a web of long buried secrets that threaten to expose someone powerful. The investigation balances grim memories with a methodical, puzzle box style that keeps the stakes high without revealing everything at once. Along the way, the film tests loyalty, ethics, and what people are willing to sacrifice for truth itself.

Directed by Mikkel Nørgaard, The Absent One adapts Jussi Adler-Olsen's bestselling novel with a screenplay by Rasmus Heisterberg, Nikolaj Arcel and Adler-Olsen. The film continues the Department Q investigations led by Nikolaj Lie Kaas and Fares Fares, supported by cast.

The Absent One helped cement Denmark's Department Q as a staple of Nordic crime cinema beyond the book world, expanding its reach beyond books. Its brisk pacing and the tense rapport between Mørck and Assad left a mark on genre fans and future adaptations.

Critics praised the performances, especially Lie Kaas and Fares, and the film's tight plotting and moody atmosphere. Its themes include memory and guilt, the pressure to uncover truth, and how institutional responses can cloud the real story while investigators push forward.