AllMovie

Recent Norwegian history and one of the nation's most notorious scandals are given a playfully surreal spin in this satiric comedy from filmmaker Thomas Cappelen Malling. Arne Treholt was a celebrated Norwegian diplomat who in 1984 found himself disgraced when he was accused of selling state secrets to the highest bidder. Treholt was found guilty and spent eight years behind bars before he was pardoned and freed. Treholt has always insisted he was innocent of all charges, and in Kommandor Treholt & Ninjatroppen, Malling imagines a scenario in which Treholt (played by Mads Ousdal) is a ninja warrior with powers of invisibility who leads a secret fighting force protecting their homeland against Cold War foes, represented by the sinister Meyer (Jon Oigarden), whose sympathies are clearly with the United States. As Treholt and Meyer wage a private war for control of Norway's hearts and minds, Treholt tries to turn slobby slacker Humla (Amund Maarud) into a suitable second-in-command. Norwegian Ninja received its American premiere at the American Film Institute's 2010 AFI Fest.