In China They Eat Dogs (1999) Characters, Setting & Themes Explained

The movie is primarily set in Denmark, with the story unfolding in everyday locations like banks and urban streets. Part of the narrative extends to South Africa as Astrid flees there. The film also includes surreal sequences set in Heaven and Hell, which serve as a moral framing device for the characters' fates.

• denmark
• south africa
• setting
• locations
• heaven
• hell

The movie takes place in the late 1990s, reflecting the technology, social attitudes, and cultural context of that era. Banks, cars, and city life from the 1990s shape the actions and visual aesthetic of the crime story.

• 1990s
• time period
• setting
• era
• contemporary

A bank robbery triggers a chain of violence that spirals beyond Arvid's control. The film tracks how every action leaves a mark on victims and survivors, showing guilt, revenge, and moral fallout. Violence and crime destabilize relationships and push characters toward drastic choices.

• crime
• consequences
• violence
• guilt
• revenge
• moral fallout

Brothers Arvid and Harald navigate a fraught past and competing loyalties. Astrid's manipulations reveal how personal ties are exploited for survival, while Franz's actions complicate trust. The story tests whether family bonds can survive deceit and violent ambition.

• family
• betrayal
• brothers
• Arvid
• Harald
• relationships

Death punctuates the action as shootouts claim victims, and Arvid's spirit encounters an angel. Heaven and Hell are used as moral framing for the characters' fates. The afterlife sequences mirror the consequences of their actions, adding a surreal layer to the crime narrative.

• afterlife
• heaven
• hell
• death
• angel
• moral judgment

Money drives the plot: the initial bank work, the van heist, and the cross-continental escape all hinge on cash. The pursuit of wealth fuels violence and risk, and desperation distorts judgment. The film uses financial motive to reveal the fragility of ethical lines.

• money
• desperation
• wealth
• crime
• financial motive
• heist

Arvid is a bank teller who feels dismissed and dull, craving excitement and a chance to prove himself. He becomes involved in a plan to rob a van for money to support medical needs, pulled into violence by his older brother Harald. His guilt grows as events spiral out of control, ultimately leading to his death.

• Arvid
• bank teller
• protagonist
• brother Harald
• crime

Harald is Arvid's older brother with a history of crime who has not turned away from violence. He exerts a brutal, persuasive energy and pushes Arvid toward more dangerous actions. His ruthless leadership and ties to criminal networks culminate in brutal confrontations and the siblings' moral disintegration.

• Harald
• brother
• criminal
• antagonist
• violence

Astrid is Franz's wife who tracks Arvid down and manipulates him into the robbery plan. She has a complicated motive and is embroiled in deception that draws the brothers deeper into violence. It is revealed that Astrid is actually Franz's sister, and she flees to South Africa to escape retribution.

• Astrid
• Franz
• sister
• manipulation
• deception
• South Africa

The film uses a surreal framing device where a bartender (a demonic figure) narrates Arvid's misadventures to an angel named Richard. This creates a darkly humorous and morally ambiguous layer where the characters' fates in Heaven and Hell are determined, adding irony to the story's conclusion.

• supernatural
• afterlife
• angel
• demon
• framing device
• Richard
• bartender

The tone is firmly dark, driven by the protagonist's moral collapse and pervasive criminal violence. However, the film incorporates dark comedy and absurd afterlife sequences that add a layer of cynicism and dark humor to the crime narrative.

• tone
• dark comedy
• violence
• crime
• cynicism
• dark humor

The ending is mixed and morally ambiguous. Arvid dies but is granted Heaven due to a clerical error, while other characters are condemned to Hell. This creates a darkly ironic resolution where the afterlife serves as a moral verdict on the characters' actions, though the system itself appears flawed.

• ending
• moral judgment
• heaven
• hell
• irony
• conclusion