Pratik Handore
Directed by Alain Darborg (‘Alex’), Netflix’s ‘Red Dot’ is a Swedish survival-thriller that follows a couple. When Nadja (Nanna Blondell) discovers she is pregnant, David (Anastasios Soulis) plans a hiking trip so that they can reconnect and revive their relationship on vacation. Things take a rather harrowing turn when the couple becomes the target of a mysterious sniper. A cat and mouse chase follow as David and Nadja do everything in their power to protect each other in the snowy wilderness of the Swedish north.
As the narrative progresses, the two try to figure out why they are being hunted and who could be behind all this. Hidden truths reveal themselves in the form of flashbacks that give us a window into the past of David and Nadja. Both realize what they fear the most is losing each other and their yet to be born baby. Their past soon catches up with them in the form of the mysterious marksman.
The film has received mixed reactions from critics and isn’t exactly a groundbreaking entry in the survival-thriller genre. But it is very crafty in how it unfolds and exudes emotion. It is realistic in its portrayal of the fears of becoming a parent and leaves you to question whether ‘Red Dot’ is based on any real-life incidents. Here is everything we were able to find out.
Is Red Dot Based on a True Story?
No, ‘Red Dot’ is not based on a true story. The film deals with the theme of losing what you love the most. This is exemplified by Tomas’ thirst for revenge since David and Nadja are the reason behind the death of Tomas’ son. Similarly, David and Nadja’s resilience to not lose each other and protect their unborn baby also stresses this very theme. The film also explores the fears of becoming a parent as the couple struggles to deem themselves worthy of becoming parents because of their past mistakes.
Alain Darborg, who also co-wrote the film with Per Dickson, spoke to Cineuropa about the conceptualization of the film. He said, “I first discovered that I was going to be a father while out hiking in the Swedish mountains. It all felt overwhelming and amazing. I was simultaneously struck by the loneliness of that place and what it might feel like if there were a maniac out in the wilderness, shooting at us. It was the combination of these emotions that was the original idea behind Red Dot – an action-thriller about the fear of becoming a parent (and being shot in the face).”
He continued, “My ambition is to make a hair-raising film with high-octane, spectacular scenes, but with a very emotional core.” Evidently, the film is strongly grounded in reality by its strong emotional core and very much manages to instill a true sense of fear into the viewers. But ‘Red Dot’ is based on an original screenplay, and therefore, it manages to encapsulate the director’s vision, and its themes resonate strongly with the viewers, making it a very realistic experience.
Read More: Red Dot Ending, Explained
