THE PROMISED LAND
Starring: Mads Mikkelsen, Amanda Collin, Simon Bennebjerg, Melina Hagberg, Kristine Kujath Thorp, Gustav Lindh, Thomas W. Gabrielsson, Magnus Krepper, Søren Malling, and Olaf Højgaard
Director: Nikolaj Arcel
QUENTIN
Let me tell you how good of an actor Mads Mikkelsen is: For more than two hours, this man had me fully engaged in a Danish-language, period-piece epic about a guy trying to grow potatoes on a piece of land deemed unfarmable. Granted, the sturdy screenplay, sweeping visuals, and Nikolaj Arcel’s confident direction help him along, but I’m not sure this movie succeeds with anyone other than Mikkelsen at the center of it. This is a grown-up film for grown-ups, reminiscent of Minari in some ways, and it feels tailor-made for the prestigious film festival circuit.
CALEB
There’s an artificiality to The Promised Land that’s hard to ignore. If this is a “man against nature” story, then where’s the rawness? Where’s the grime? Sure, the cinematography is beautiful, but this isn’t really a story that calls for that level of polish. The script isn’t awful, but I felt like I was always ten steps ahead of it. Despite great performances from Mads Mikkelsen and Simon Bennebjerg, the characters and their emotional beats were just too predictable to hold my attention. The Promised Land isn’t a bad movie, but it’s too safe to leave a lasting impression.
This film was reviewed by Quentin as part of Bitesize Breakdown's coverage of the 2023 Venice International Film Festival.