Norwegian War Film Earns Perfect Score on Rotten Tomatoes, Wins Viewer Praise

Norway’s new war film, Number 24, is earning high praise from critics and audiences alike. The 2024 biographical feature tells the story of Gunnar Sønsteby, a celebrated Norwegian resistance fighter during World War II.

Directed by John Andreas Andersen and produced by Motion Blur, the movie premiered in Norway on October 30, 2024, after special early screenings in Flekkefjord, Oslo, and Rjukan.

The film follows Sønsteby from the 1940 campaign through the major sabotage operations carried out by the Oslo Group. It shows some of the assassinations and covert missions he took part in during the war. The story is framed by an older Sønsteby, played by Erik Hivju, who recounts his experiences to school students in Rjukan, while Sjur Vatne Brean portrays him as a young man. Other cast members include Lisa Loven Kongsli, Magnus Dugdale, Benjamin Myhre, Philip Helgar, and Ulrik William Græsli.

After its theatrical release, Number 24 became available on Netflix earlier this year and quickly became the most-streamed film in Norway during its opening weeks. On Rotten Tomatoes, the movie has a perfect 100% approval rating based on 11 reviews.

You can check out the trailer on YouTube.

Critics are praising the film for its intense storytelling and moral depth. One review said, “Based on the real-life story of Norwegian hero Gunnar Sønsteby, director John Andreas Andersen delivers a gripping, often violent thriller that highlights the best and worst of humankind.”

Another added, “This biopic about Gunnar Sønsteby, the most highly decorated citizen in Norway, explores the moral grey areas during war under brutal invading forces. Switching between the past and the present, the film sensitively contrasts justice and necessity.”

A third review noted, “As it presents the effort of one man to retain his value system and apply it to the greater good, it finds lots of ways to illustrate how the battle is always bigger, even if the people fighting it are not larger than life.”

Number 24 is being praised for its mix of historical accuracy, emotional depth, and strong performances. It tells the story of a hero who made tough moral choices in extreme circumstances and shows how one person’s courage can have a lasting impact.

Have something to add? Let us know in the comments!