Paul Greengrass was undoubtedly the best man to direct the true-life story of Anders Breivik, the right-wing Norwegian who committed an appalling terrorist double-attack in 2011 by first bombing a government building before shooting dead 69 students on a remote island. Greengrass did, after all, direct the ultimate harrowing true-life disaster movie UNITED 93, and this is along similar lines. It's a sombre and gloomy effort, presented in documentary-style realism, and the opening attack sequences are as harrowing as it gets due to not being overdone or flashy. It's after this that the film becomes less impressive and less immersive. The Breivik trial and the Norwegian political situation are portrayed well, but the endless rehabilitation scenes involving one of the survivors feel somewhat drawn out, and more than a little predictable. It all builds to a powerful climax, but I think an hour shorn off the running time would have made for a greater movie.

It's July 21, 2011 Norway. Anders Behring Breivik is preparing a truck bomb. The next day, he massacres a group of leadership youths on an island retreat. Viljar Hanssen is one of the teens who survived life threatening injuries. In total, 77 are dead and hundreds are injured.

The attack is harrowing. Certainly, Greengrass is well versed in recreating these real life tragedies. In this one, the attack is finished after the first act. The body of the movie deals with a victim's family, and Breivik's defense. It does run out of steam dramatically as Greengrass seems obligated to end the movie with a traditional hero overcoming the villain. It is a fascinating portrait of a mass killer. The family's trauma is compelling but tiring. After the attack, the story really has limited drama. The insanity ploy is not enough in plot development. I couldn't wait to be rid of this narcissist killer.

The film opens with two subplots. A group of liberal elite teens are on an island celebrating their diversity. Meanwhile a Trump-youth is attaching detonators to C-4 explosives. He is not fond of diversity. The two subplots come together in a half hour with 77 dead and over 200 wounded.

Anders Behring Breivik (Anders Danielsen Lie ) the assassin is one focus of the film and we have no doubt he did it because assassins all have three names. The second focus is Viljar Hanssen (Jonas Strand Gravli) a victim who was shot five times and can die at any moment.

Most of the feature was about the aftermath and trial. At first they believed the killer to be mentally ill for having Republican views, however that was not the case, although he did appear to have delusions of grandeur.

Guide: 1 F-word.