Directed by:
Thomas VinterbergCinematography:
Charlotte Bruus ChristensenComposer:
Nikolaj EgelundCast:
Mads Mikkelsen, Thomas Bo Larsen, Annika Wedderkopp, Lasse Fogelstrøm, Susse Wold, Anne Louise Hassing, Lars Ranthe, Alexandra Rapaport (more)VOD (1)
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Lucas (Mads Mikkelsen) is beloved by his students and fellow teachers at his local kindergarten. After a divorce, made especially painful when his wife moved away from town with their teenage son, Marcus, Lucas’ life is recovering with a new girlfriend, and the reforging of his relationship with Marcus. His world comes crashing down, however, when a young girl in his class accuses him of inappropriate behaviour. It’s a simple lie that spirals out of control and the small community suddenly finds itself in a collective state of hysteria. Long held friendships are tested as mistrust takes hold, and Lucas must summon all his strength in a brave fight for his life and dignity. (Madman Entertainment)
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Reviews (14)
Mads Mikkelsen movies are the place to go to get wet. Sometimes it's also a pleasant surprise from another point of view. That’s what The Hunt is like. It’s a story about how our kids are getting a bit out of control. And it's not just the fundamentally democratic US that's in trouble, but the otherwise progressive Scandinavia is in the same mess. It may have started as a little film about male emancipation, but it broke down nicely into an appeal for herd restraint.
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Pure genre matters with all of the pros (great work with actors, excellent atmosphere, accessibility in the best sense of the word) and cons (easy manipulativeness and calculation, quite gradual exposition). Vinterberg also refined the director's approach from Submarino and is definitely one of the best creators of mainstream drama who is able to sell simplicity without offensive banality. Watching a second time only confirmed for me the good work that the Danish filmmaker did - the scheme that many point out here, as well as the considerable archetypality of the protagonist's life situation (alienated from the polis for a sin he did not commit) is functionally reflected in the structure of the film and repeated motifs of "collective ritual" (cyclical framework of the year / initiation celebration in the form of a hunt / Christmas Eve in a small village). The Hunt thus refers more to something that is universal in human society and persists in spite of a specific era (I see no attempt to create artificial problems, the "north" has had a lot of chimeras in relation to children for a long time, which only strengthens the seemingly compact morality of the community). It is hard not to see a link to key dogmatic topics here - only the vision has completely changed. Vinterberg does not go as far as Trier in deliberately stripping the schemes - his last two films are mainly about the search for a decent testimony and finding surprisingly strong characters. Lucas is an enchanting character with an inner evolution, from hunted game to a moral memento that proudly looks into the eyes. And, with her intensity and detail, Annika Wedderkopp's acting performance is a small miracle. The Hunt is simply a Danish drama in a nutshell - admittedly schematic, yet taciturn at key moments, reflecting "an overly close and proper community" and its hidden demons. Paradoxically, it’s not an issue that you are one move ahead of the director - it's about the power of realization, not a moment of surprise (in this context, this year I am thinking of Petzold's great Barbara, who is built on the same principle). And that power is still amazing in my eyes.
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A calm Nordic winter, a five-year-old femme fatale, and me, unaware of the plot or anything else, sitting in my seat in the movie theater, and knowing that in six months I am to become a teacher too. It’s pure in terms of the genre to the point where words about sliding on the surface come to mind, yet it cuts under the skin like few things have in recent memory. I haven't felt my throat this tight in a long time.
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A film that is hard to describe has to be seen. Only The Shining, my favourite film ever, has made me feel this “cold” when the end credits started rolling. A harrowing experience that may tamper with the laws of real probability to its emotional advantage at times, but the way it repeatedly pours boiling water on the viewer, and leaves them standing outside in the freezing cold is truly unprecedented. I don't know any other film that can so amazingly adapt the audience's emotions to the main character's depressive feelings and that makes the audience actively react to every twist and turn, laughing, cursing, crying... I feel a little bitter towards Thomas Vinterberg and all the other actors for having sweated through and through my least cheap t-shirt and sweatshirt, but otherwise I send them my admiration and endless praise. This review is intentionally shallow because to tinker more thoroughly with something so perfect and effective seems undignified to me.
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Not very rational and lacking logic and common sense, though the Nordic small town full of ordinary workers who don't think much about anything seems to be very authentic. But I would definitely not put captivating performances and a fantastic atmosphere+screenplay over the sensible use of facts and brainpower. The accusation as well as the explanation are clichés of a heavy caliber.. Nevertheless, Vinterberg is still a great director because he can turn crap into something captivating with a number of scenes, where either you get goosebumps or at least put your hand in front of your mouth and be amazed.
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Gallery (32)
Photo © Cinemart
![The Hunt - Photos - Anne Louise Hassing, Mads Mikkelsen, Thomas Bo Larsen, Daniel Engstrup, Sebastian Bull Sarning](http://image.pmgstatic.com/cache/resized/w663/files/images/film/photos/014/419/14419509_50777f.jpg)
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