Never cross Mads Mikkelsen, especially when he’s trying to prove a point!
What it's about
1700s, Denmark. A military captain is determined to cultivate a patch of moorland, but haughty bureaucrats and one cruel landowner stand in his way.
The take
In The Promised Land, director Nikolaj Arcel (A Royal Affair) and Mads Mikkelsen reunite to create another intense, enjoyable drama based on true historical events. Mikkelsen is reliably gripping as Captain Ludwig Kahlen, but it’s his back-and-forths with the diabolical landowner Frederik Schinkel (Simon Bennebjerg) that are the standout scenes here. And though The Promised Land resembles modern Westerns in its macho standoffs and sweeping backdrops, it has a surprising and satisfying feminist bent to it. It’s a historical epic that doubles as a revenge thriller and succeeds in both cases.
What stands out
The historical context of the film, and the surprising importance of the humble potato.
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