Review of The Hunt (2013) by Vrettos L — 05 Jun 2013

If you like movies to challenge you, I think this Danish drama directed by Thomas Vinterberg and starring Mads Mikkelsen, can do just that. I found some of the injustice even overwhelming to follow the story calmly but that's just confirmation of the well used skills of this outstanding director to personally involve the audience. The story follows a man who becomes the target of mass hysteria after being accused of something he never did, and is set in a small Danish village around Christmas... yes, when the "good will" is in its heights. The Hunt focuses on the shocking lie, and its galvanising effect on a close-knit Danish community.

The director views this drama in terms of a Hans Christian Anderson tale: "It's a film about the evil from outside, the splinter of glass that enters a community and turns everything blue and fearful." For me, this was one of the better movies from 2012 and there is no wonder that it was chosen for the 2012 Toronto International Film Festival and competed at the 2012 Cannes Film Festival where Mads Mikkelsen won the Best Actor Award for his excellent performance. His achievement was well deserved, especially knowing that this is the first Danish-language film in the main competition since 1998 - 14 long years! And it came from Vinterberg - a guy who likes drinking, nakedness, freedom of expression... a man who despises the rules and regulations of a well-ordered society. "The mediocre, rational world is my enemy," he declares. "Well-adjusted is the thing that I hate. Well-adjusted means fearful and cowardly. Some of my best friends are crazy, they don't give a shit.".

Thumbs up, Thomas!