The Promised Land

The Promised Land

In 1755, the impoverished Captain Ludvig Kahlen sets out to conquer the uninhabitable Danish heath in the name of the King. But the sole ruler of the area, the merciless Frederik de Schinkel, who believes the land belongs to him, swears revenge when the maid Ann Barbara and her serf husband escape for refuge with Kahlen.

  • Released:
  • Runtime: 127 minutes
  • Genre: Drama, History
  • Stars: Simon Bennebjerg, Kristine Kujath Thorp, Felix Kramer, Jacob Ulrik Lohmann, Magnus Krepper, Amanda Collin, Gustav Lindh, Mads Mikkelsen, Morten Hee Andersen, Thomas W. Gabrielsson, Søren Malling, Olaf Højgaard, Morten Burian, Morten Buus
  • Director: Nikolaj Arcel
 Comments
  • gavinp9 - 1 July 2024
    Solid foreign historical drama
    'The Promised Land' ('Bastarden' in Danish) is set in the 1750s and follows a former Army Captain, Ludvig Kahlen (Mikkelsen) as he sets out to cultivate the inhospitable heath in Western Denmark, with it's poor soil and bad weather. He encounters all sorts of bureaucratic, personnel and personal hurdles. This is an at-times violent battle of wills shown over a few years, all with subtitles.

    His efforts are helped by two runaways, Ann Barbara (Collin) & Johannes (Andersen), priest Anton (Lindh) and then little Roma/Tater Anmai Mus (Hagberg). Kahlen is then unknowingly pitted against the entitled "county judge" Frederik de Schinkel (Bennebjerg, a great "bad guy"), who claims the heath as his own. Matters aren't helped when de Schinkel's supposed finance, Edel (Thorp) takes an interest in Kahlen. While it's a brutal time and place to be alive, the cinematography is excellent and makes you want to visit (when it's not winter!).

    It goes for 2 hours and doesn't drag too much, even if at times you're not sure what's driving the plot forward. But it manages to fit a lot in and fits quite a few genres in: Western, revenge thriller, family-overcoming-adversity, romance and drama. The ending is mostly satisfying and while I can't say it's flawless, it is a well-made film, carried relentlessly forward by Mikkelsen's determination and stare.
  • Casino-Royale - 3 June 2024
    Such a long time since I saw such brilliance
    I can't remember the last time I watched a film that had zero faults. The Promised Land was perfect in ever respect. All the performances were excellent not one actor let the side down.

    The cinematography was brilliant and they couldn't have picked a better environment to portray the harsh reality of life and death on the heath.

    It was full of tension at times, especially not knowing what the lunatic (so well portrayed by Simon Bennebjerg) was going to do next!

    I'm not surprised it's won a host of awards and I'd be mystified if it doesn't win an Oscar.

    First class performance as always from Mads Mikkelsen, no one has 'less is more' down pat as much as he has.