In ‘The Promised Land’ Captain Ludvig Kahlen (Mads Mikkelsen) retires from the German army following 25 years of service and relocates to Denmark. He obtains permission, and the blessing of the King of Denamark, to build a property on barren land with the hopes of establishing a settlement there. Before long, Kahlen comes up against local landowner Frederik de Schinkel (Simon Bennebjerg) and fight for ownership of the land ensues. The situation worsens when Kahlen becomes involved with Edel (Kristine Kujath Thorp), the woman who is supposed to marry Schinkel in an arrangement made by her father.
‘The Promised Land’ is categorised as a Nordic Western and as such the film is fairly brutal and unforgiving. The plot is slow-moving and at times ponderous, which means it’s not going to be everyone’s cup of tea. If you’re willing to give the film the time it needs though, you’ll find much to uncover as it goes along. Kahlen is a more complex man than you may initially think and his tendency to lean in to his humanity, separates him from his antagonist Schinkel.
Despite the film’s slow pace, there’s a lot going on. Once Kahlen arrives on the contested land, a number of sub-plots come into play. Alongside the main battle against Schinkel, there’s the developing love story with Edel and Kahlen’s decision to protect a young Romani girl, Anmai (Melina Hagberg), who has been cast out by the locals due to the colour of her skin. Kahlen consistently puts the needs of others before his own. The inevitable violent showdown with Schinkel takes its time to arrive but when it does, you feel that you really care about Kahlen. That makes the scenes incredibly impactful.
The film truly belongs to Mads Mikkelsen. Undoubtedly his involvement will bring people to the film who would otherwise have overlooked it, and his performance here is astonishing. He plays Kahlen as a weathered man who has been around the block and then some. Mikkelsen’s ability to say a lot with so few words comes into play here, and his mere presence adds serious gravitas to the film. Always considered a solid actor, Mikkelsen turns in one of his finest, and most restrained, performances to date here.
‘The Promised Land’ won’t be everyone’s cup of tea but if you like your films to be thought-provoking and layered, you really should check it out. From the beautiful cinematography through to Mikkelsen’s towering performance, this is a fantastic example of world cinema. There are twists and turns along the way, with plenty of violence. The film is unlike anything else that is being made right now and that alone is cause to add it to your watchlist.
Cast: Mads Mikkelsen, Amanda Collin, Kristine Kujath Thorp, Simon Bennebjerg, Melina Hagberg Director: Nikolaj Arcel Writers: Nikolaj Arcel, Anders Thomas Jensen & Ida Jessen Certificate: 15 Duration: 127 mins Released by: Icon Film Distribution Release date: 16th February 2024
