The Danish feature film The Hunt is a psychological drama created by director Thomas Winterberg in 2012. The premiere of the tape took place at the 65th Cannes Film Festival. The picture became one of the favorites of the eminent jury. She was nominated for the Golden Globe and BAFTA awards. Project rating IMDb: 8.30, reviews from the movie âHuntingâ are dominated by positive ones.
Director's personal renaissance
Standing at the origins of the Dogma 95 movement, one of von Trierâs close associates became famous for his shocking drama âTriumphâ (1998), after which he suffered a creative crisis. The next surrealistic movie drama "All About Love" went unnoticed, the parable "Dear Wendy" failed at the box office, and the comedy "Homecoming" received devastating reviews. Then Thomas Winterberg decided to turn to the origins and create in the usual territory - in the genre of psychological drama. He enlisted the support of the talented screenwriter Tobias Lindholm and regained himself. "Submarino" and the film "Hunt" marked the personal renaissance of the director. In the 2012 project, in a team with the main actor of his generation in Scandinavia, Mads Mikkelsen raises the social drama of confronting an individual with society to an extraordinary level. A lie that has grown into a real war is not the Dogma-95 philosophy.
Idea of ââcreation
Many viewers in reviews of the film "Hunt" focus on the history of the project. Immediately after the triumph of the âTriumph,â Winterberg received many scenarios, which were based on the stories of family tragedies and dramas. Once he met with his friend a Danish psychologist, who introduced the director to several interesting cases from his archive. All of them described the fantasies of patients, replacing real memories. According to the expert, a curious film could be made from any one. However, then Thomas Winterberg did not seize the opportunity.
Ten years later, after a divorce from the missus, the director reviewed the folder provided by the psychologist and discovered an amazing case. Winterberg became interested in how in the unstable psyche of a child, under the influence of various circumstances, false memories of events that never happened can form.
Plot
Forty-year-old teacher of the local kindergarten Lucas (M. Mikkelsen) has just begun to recover from the scandalous divorce process. His personal life began to stabilize, there was a romantic relationship with the cute emigrant Nadia (A. Rapaport), his son (L. Vogelström) decided to move and live with his father. And then everything collapsed overnight after the charge of pedophilia. A sad and lonely man for a long time became the object of attention of the five-year-old kindergarten beauty Klara (A. Vedderkopp), the daughter of a neighbor and good friend Theo (T. Larsen). Offended by the lack of a proper reaction to the âValentineâ and the rejected attempt to kiss, the girl tells the teacher about the alleged piquant events, the scenario of which she spied on the older brother's laptop. Soon, the director and the connected psychologist get out of the girl information that is interpreted as an attempt at sexual contact. Confidential information is instantly distributed throughout the Danish town. Lucasâs life turns into hell.
Yes, later the baby admits her lie, and the public calms down. But the finale of the tape is still tragic. Viewers in the reviews ending the movie "Hunting" (2012) called predictably tragic.
Compared
Most critics in the reviews of the movie "Hunt" call the project the antithesis of "Triumph." In this film, the son exposed all respected father, during the celebration of the anniversary, accusing him of pedophilia. In âHuntâ a decent man, whose viewer is convinced of innocence from the first shots, is forced to fight against prejudices that flourish in society. He is defeated, his reputation is irrevocably destroyed not by misconduct, but by a false accusation. Moreover, he was accused by a child - the âshrineâ of liberal European society, which Winterberg turns into insane âwitch huntersâ. The creators drew an extremely unpleasant group portrait of European residents, frightened by pedophilia, cases of which exist realistically, but are not perceived reflexively, are crowded out somewhere on the periphery of consciousness.
Casting cast
In the film âHuntingâ (2012), the actors involved in the production of the tape made up a unique ensemble. However, among other performers Mads Mikkelsen stands out, who played the role of a outcast, from the last forces resisting unjust persecution. For a recognized Danish sex symbol, such a complex role was a real gift, allowing to demonstrate all the experience and acting talent. The most deserved movie star of Danish cinema of her generation, of course, helped the directorâs skill to reach a higher level. Cinematographers in reviews of the film âHuntingâ emphasize that the declarativeness and conventions of early works were replaced by the convincing and realism of a mature artist in cinema.
Among other artists, Thomas Bo Larsen in the image of Theo, the father of the crafty baby, Alexander Rapaport, who played Nadia, and Lasse Vogelström, who embodied the image of Marcus, the son of the protagonist, stand out.
Criticism
Many viewers called "The Hunt" the best work of the director since the "Triumph". The director shot both of the masterpieces in an almost documentary manner to reinforce the credibility of what is happening.
Contributing authors of reputable publications compare the brainchild of Winterberg with the French drama âWinesâ and the Danish âAccusedâ on topical issues raised.
A special place in the positive reviews and reviews of observers from among the audience is occupied by the acting work of Mads Mikkelsen. According to the majority, the picture is moving largely due to its amazing transformation. Spectators tirelessly praise the completely exhausted character, brilliantly played by a movie star. Previously known for his roles of cruel and icy characters, the actor in "The Hunt" perfectly played a soft man trapped in a trap.
Psychologists reviews the film "Hunting" (2012) is highly recommended for viewing. Experts point out that such a ridiculous story can happen to everyone. The picture emphasizes the defenselessness of the average man in modern society. No matter how civilized it may be, primitive instincts will still prevail, and then the "hunt" will really begin. Domestic experts in the field of psychology consider the tape a useful and timely antidote, necessary for Russian society, covered by similar phobias.