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)Plots(1)
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 (15)
No matter what anybody might say, Mads Mikkelsen is the most interesting and the best contemporary European actor. Each of his characters on the screen is alive. Not only alive, they’re downright breathing through the screen. In my opinion, The Hunt is the best notch on his belt that must win everyone over. I get that he took advantage of the current situation of the Danish cinema which is full of the best screenwriters and directors, but he was simply destined to be born into this very era and he made the best possible use of it due to his personality. The Hunt is a difficult movie to watch. It’s actually about a topic that is hard to talk about and just as hard to film. It’s a taboo that stirred the pot in this movie. The amazing thing is that the screenwriter apparently analyzed the human nature all his life and showed exactly what we, as human beings, are capable of doing and what we are not capable of doing. After an absurd discovery, Mads transforms with each single second of this movie and the viewer drowns in a depression that will leave you restless. That’s exactly what movies are about. About emotions and feelings that each of us should think about regularly. The Hunt managed to do that, and I must say that it is one of the few movies that aren’t afraid to reveal the truth hidden somewhere in the corner of each of us.
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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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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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People are like sheep! All you have to do is throw a victim at them and they persecute and abuse it without any substantiated and credible evidence, and you have to look for any hint of humanity. The Hunt is a chilling drama set in a small town where everyone knows each other, and nothing is solved as quickly as the dirt on other people. But the hunt is for a victim who doesn't want to give up easily and be falsely smeared, so she resists with all their might. In short, a very well made and dense thriller that lacks a more shocking touch and conclusion to get a full score, when compared to, for example, the similar 2009 film Deliver Us from Evil.
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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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