Directed by:
Nikolaj ArcelCinematography:
Rasmus VidebækComposer:
Dan RomerCast:
Mads Mikkelsen, Amanda Collin, Simon Bennebjerg, Melina Hagberg, Kristine Kujath Thorp, Gustav Lindh, Morten Hee Andersen, Thomas W. Gabrielsson (more)VOD (2)
Plots(1)
From BAFTA nominated writer and director, Nikolaj Arcel, comes a powerful Nordic epic starring Mads Mikkelsen. In 1755, the impoverished Captain Ludvig Kahlen sets out to conquer the uninhabitable Danish heath in the name of the King. But the sole ruler of the area, the merciless Frederik de Schinkel, who believes the land belongs to him, swears revenge when the maid Ann Barbara and her serf husband escape for refuge with Kahlen. (Icon Home Entertainment)
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Reviews (10)
I often find myself searching in vain for the right dose of gloomy and eerie atmosphere combined with tension in thrillers and horror movies. Yet, here I am, feeling like a complete idiot. All it takes is to watch a film about the expansion of Danish agriculture and you'll be looking for a rope and a nice beam in the attic to end all that depression. But hey, wait for those end credits to roll first, because despite its gloomy (or even somber) tone, this film is extremely good. Even though I'm from the country, I don't enjoy digging in the soil (I prefer livestock), but here I found myself enthusiastically watching the captain's battle for a good harvest against the whims of nature and other disasters. How could I not root for the main hero, especially when he was portrayed by Mads Mikkelsen, whose face radiates internal anguish? Plus, he is so convincing he could make me believe he grew a row of melons from carrot seeds. What I found disappointing was the ending which somewhat undermined the experience for me. / Lesson learned: Playing fetch can lead to a lifelong commitment.
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A likable film with a likably unlikable protagonist driven by wounded ambition. The Promised Land blends a serious historical epic with some penny-dreadful twists that ultimately prevent the film from forcefully crowning Kahlen’s fate as an entirely tragic and self-destructive character. The Promised Land comes across as a film in search of itself on the heath. Fortunately, Arcel elevated his directing above that in the slightly TV-like A Royal Affair, Rasmus Videbæk beautifully captures the chiaroscuro and Mads Mikkelsen plays his unapproachable father character with his usual precision. The film wants to throw a powerful jab with its ending, but it winds up choosing a safer route that doesn’t offend, but it doesn’t satisfy either.
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So much pain and despair over a few potatoes, only for the main character to finally understand what’s most valuable in life. The chess pieces in the genre almost never make an unexpected move, and that makes the game all the more calming. The black bishop, with his depraved mannerisms reminiscent of Roth's character in Rob Roy, versus the tenacious white king, whose heart softens at the expense of something hardening. Will salvation be found on the home moor? Will love sprout before the potatoes? How much spilled blood will end all the adversity? Did you see Mikkelsen’s fleeting gesture as he blessed the lifting of the stick from the ground? This can’t end worse than a draw... Fire kartofler!
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Great. Old-school attitude and Mads Mikkelsen's stubborn expression in a solid film with a great script that grabs you by the heart. Danish moors and beautiful shots of the rugged landscape. And, of course, there's one motherfucker you wish the worst for, wondering the whole time why the captain didn't put a bullet through his head right from the start. A great story with a strong conclusion and a worthwhile point.
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The Danish Braveheart, or everything that we could have hoped for from a historical drama starring Mads Mikkelsen. A principled protagonist with good intentions, whom we identify with and understand, even with his faulty decision-making; the two women who love him (one platonically); an adopted vagabond girl who brings family values into the story; a villain whom we would gladly disembowel even at the risk of losing our own freedom. Most of the film’s runtime is filled with safe, predictable clichés, but the inner motivations and fortunes of all of the characters ultimately and meaningfully intersect in the cathartic and emotional climax with a nice intellectual reach. The Promised Land is a powerful film that’s worthy of the big screen. [San Sebastian IFF]
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