Alright, fellow tapeheads, let’s dim the lights, ignore that slight tracking fuzz at the bottom of the screen, and dig into a slice of pure 80s European caper comfort food: The Jönsson Gang Turns Up Again (Swedish: Jönssonligan dyker upp igen) from 1986. For many outside Scandinavia, the Jönsson Gang might be a delightful discovery stumbled upon in the dusty foreign films section of the rental store, perhaps rented purely based on the slightly goofy cover art. But for those in the know, particularly our Swedish friends, this series is practically a national treasure, and this entry delivers exactly the kind of intricate, slightly absurd, and ultimately charming heist action we came to expect.
### Sickan's Back, and He Has a Plan (Of Course)
The film wastes no time getting us back into the familiar rhythm. Charles Ingvar "Sickan" Jönsson, played with that inimitable fussy genius by the legendary Gösta Ekman, is fresh out of prison (again!) and, naturally, has a meticulously detailed plan. This time, it involves recovering secret government funds embezzled via... wait for it... IKEA furniture! Yes, you read that right. Only Sickan could devise a scheme involving flat-pack furniture, high finance, and a crucial microchip hidden within. It’s the kind of delightfully specific, slightly bonkers premise that makes these films so endearing. Watching Gösta Ekman map out every second, every contingency, with his trademark bowler hat and intense gaze, is pure comedic gold. He embodies the character so perfectly; it's hard to imagine anyone else pulling off Sickan's blend of meticulous planning and utter exasperation when things inevitably go sideways.
### The Gang's All Here (For Better or Worse)
Of course, Sickan can't do it alone. He needs his trusty (and often spectacularly inept) crew: the smooth-talking, ladies' man Ragnar Vanheden (Ulf Brunnberg) and the hilariously cautious explosives expert Harry "Dynamit-Harry" Kruth (Björn Gustafson). The chemistry between these three is the engine that drives the film. Vanheden's misplaced confidence and Brunnberg's effortless charm are the perfect foil to Sickan's tightly-wound energy. And Björn Gustafson as Dynamit-Harry, perpetually nervous but surprisingly capable with a stick of dynamite (or, more often, a safe door), grounds the absurdity with genuine warmth. Their bickering, misunderstandings, and moments of surprising synchronicity are the heart and soul of the Jönsson Gang formula. Director Mikael Ekman (Gösta's brother, who helmed several entries in the series) clearly understands this dynamic, letting the actors' timing and interplay shine. He keeps the pacing brisk, moving from planning session to comical setback to the eventual heist with practiced ease.
### The Beauty of Analogue Heists
Let's talk about the action – Jönsson Gang style. Forget sleek laser grids and digital hacking. This is the era of crowbars, drills, carefully timed diversions, and gadgets that look cobbled together in Sickan's basement. The climax, involving breaking into a heavily guarded facility disguised within the aforementioned IKEA warehouse, is a masterclass in 80s practical ingenuity. Remember how impressive those intricate, Rube Goldberg-esque sequences felt back then? The tension wasn't just about if they'd get caught, but how Sickan's ridiculously complex plan, reliant on split-second timing and often sheer luck, would actually unfold. These sequences feel tangible; you can almost smell the oil and hear the clank of metal. It’s a far cry from today’s CGI-heavy set pieces, possessing a grounded, physical quality that's immensely satisfying. The film, penned by Rolf Börjlind alongside the Ekman brothers, cleverly uses everyday locations like the sprawling IKEA store, turning the familiar into a playground for criminal mischief. It’s a reminder that great heist sequences don't always need massive explosions (though Dynamit-Harry is usually game!), but cleverness and character.
### Swedish Charm and VHS Gold
Based on the Danish Olsen-banden film series, the Swedish Jönssonligan carved out its own massive popularity back home. These films were reliable hits, comfort viewing for families across Sweden. Finding a dubbed or subtitled copy on VHS felt like uncovering a secret – a window into a different brand of European comedy, less cynical than some British offerings, more character-driven than many broader American comedies of the time. The Jönsson Gang Turns Up Again might follow the established formula – Sickan plans, the gang bumbles, they face off against recurring antagonist Wall-Enberg Jr. (Per Grundén), things go wrong, Sickan ends up back in jail contemplating the next plan – but it executes that formula with such infectious energy and charm that it's hard to resist. I distinctly remember the slightly washed-out colour palette on my rental copy, the slightly muffled audio, and how none of that mattered because the core comedy and cleverness shone through.
It's pure 80s escapism, a time capsule of specific Swedish humour and universal heist tropes done with heart. The gadgets might seem quaint now, the fashions hilariously dated, but the core appeal – the brilliant mastermind, his flawed but loyal crew, and the thrill of watching a complex plan (almost) come together – remains timeless.
Rating: 7.5 / 10
Justification: A thoroughly enjoyable and well-executed entry in a beloved series. It delivers exactly what fans expect with strong performances, genuinely funny moments, and a satisfyingly intricate (and silly) central heist. While it doesn't drastically break the mold, it perfects the formula with confidence and charm. Minor points off perhaps for predictability if you know the series well, but the execution is top-notch for the genre and era.
Final Word: Crack open a cold one, rewind past the trailers, and settle in. This is prime 80s heist comfort – less Ocean's Eleven, more "Ocean's Slightly Clumsy Swedish Cousins," and utterly delightful because of it. A true gem from the European section of VHS Heaven.