The Promised Land – Film Review
Published November 29, 2023
Movie Details
The Promised Land, directed by Nikolaj Arcel and adapted from Ida Jessen‘s The Captain and Ann Barbara, presents a beautifully brutal world rich in moral complexity and bleak atmosphere. Set in the mid-18th century, this epic historical drama paints a sobering image of life on the unforgiving heath of Jutland, where freedom and subsistence are brutally pitted against oppressive social forces.
As Ludvig Kahlen, a veteran granted barren land by the king, Mads Mikkelsen delivers a riveting performance. Mikkelsen imbues Kahlen with a determined grit, manifest in every laborious plough of the hard land. But underneath this sturdy exterior, he instils Kahlen with a dreamy optimism that will see his fledgling community rise, endowing his performance with a balance of despair and resilience.
Opposite Mikkelsen, Simon Bennebjerg shines as the merciless landowner Frederik de Schinkel, breathing life into the archetype of the oppressive tyrant. Through cunning calculation and sheer malice, he strikes fear into his underlings, leaving viewers at the edge of their seats as his actions challenge Kahlen’s ambitious dreams.
Stepping in the centre of this conflict is Amanda Collin as Ann Barbara, a powerful, yet constrained character who brilliantly juggles between the two dominating male forces. Her acting chops are not merely relegated to the submissive wife or a strategic plot device but a resilient character possessing significant influence and authority.
Arcel’s deft touch and experience in weaving suspense, best exhibited in A Royal Affair, manifest vividly in The Promised Land. Here, he meticulously captures the treacherous daily toils of agrarian life and juxtaposes them with simmering social tensions and cut-throat power struggles, forging a striking and poignant depiction of 18th-century rural Denmark. However, Arcel’s pacing can be questioned; while the film seeks to give viewers a visceral sense of life in these trying times, it sometimes feels unnecessarily slow.
Cinematography deserves notable mention as Rasmus Videbæk expertly utilises the Danish landscapes to create a brooding canvas that mirrors the harsh realities faced by Kahlen and his settlers. Through impressive aerial shots of the rugged terrain, the isolation and hostile environment of the heath is beautifully captured.
Likewise, the orchestral score composed by Dan Romer adds another layer of depth to the film. Through the powerful crescendos during conflict scenes to the solemn melody in quieter moments, the music compliments the drama onscreen without overpowering the actors’ performances.
However, The Promised Land isn’t without flaws. Although Arcel and co-writer Anders Thomas Jensen produce a story teeming with authenticity, their exploration of the Taters community falls somewhat short. Given the potential richness of their story – marginalised, considered outcasts – more could have been drawn out from these characters.
Nonetheless, The Promised Land is a striking historical epic with commendable performances and masterful cinematography. Though slow-paced at times and flawed in some aspects of storytelling, it does succeed in delivering a potent, immersive experience that stirs viewers to consider life’s harsh realities through the prism of history