The Promised Land (Bastarden) by Nikolaj Arcel and starring Mads Mikkelsen, which premiered at the 80th Venice Film Festival, is hardly innovative or surprising, but what recommends it that it delivers a traditional story well.
Mads Mikkelsen does stoic well. In his latest collaboration with director Nikolaj Arcel (the two had previously paired up for A Royal Affair in 2012) Mikkelsen takes on a character of conflicting desires. His 18th century Captain Kahlen is retired on a small wage but is eager to move up in the world and no law of man or nature is enough to stop him. He plans to earn his noble title by taming the king’s prized land of Jutland. This task that no one had yet achieved fills him with particular perseverance. Kahlen intends to do so with a handful of workers and defiance alone.
But, naturally, one man’s struggle is rarely only him against nature. For Kahlen the other antagonist is De Schinkel – an unbearably brutal landlord who would very much prefer to keep the power he has over the territory than allow settlers to gather. Kahlen cannot succumb to his terms as his real fight is the one of class. A lifetime of being looked down upon and mistreated by those with status, makes him want such power for himself. It’s an intriguing addition to an otherwise seen-before character and puts him in conflict both with his goal, the workers that he employs to help him and, of course, himself.
It takes time for Kahlen to warm to people he works with. But with time, even he cannot escape but be comforted by the sense of community and human kindness that he finds himself a part of. He may believe that he can find safety for himself within the noble class, but he is less and less equipped to withstand the cold detachment that would come with it.
This conflicts comes to a horrendous head once one of his workers is captured by De Schinkel and given a revolting punishment. And Kahlen, now softened by the presence of people he can trust, is powerless to do anything but watch. It is to the director’s credit that the scene is delivered after a careful setup making the violence appropriately revolting, but not self-satisfying. It is positioned within the narrative in order to impact the viewer the hardest.
The barren but beautiful scenery that should soon be cultivated into fields allows the director to create soothing and calming wide shots that are fitting for the big screen. Arcel chooses a traditional palette for his film using golden hour softness for outdoor shots and subdued candlelight for interiors.
The Promised Land is hardly innovative or surprising, but what recommends it that it delivers a traditional story well. Arcel came to the story wishing to produce a Danish epic and hit every point perfectly. Perhaps its only fault is sticking to the source novel too closely making the last hour drag with no real purpose. Still the sweeping shots and simmering emotion stick with the viewer after the credits have rolled. And that is enough.
