The Hanging Sun

I could have watched every cast member for twice the amount of time they were onscreen. Perfect casting, perfect pitch, and oh my god the constant sense of menace and moody set pieces. Loved every moment of it, and I'd love to see a follow up with the surviving cast members. The camera loved every angle of every shot in this film and it was a true pleasure to view. Thanks to everyone who made this intelligent and beautiful film possible. Apparently I have to write more in order for this review to be submitted, so shout outs to Peter Mullan and Charles Dance though I have to say I loved the two leads and hope to see them act together again.

The Hanging Sun is a noir thriller set in the Norwegian fjords that revolves around the complex, and often conflicting, relationship between fathers and children and the latter's desire for emancipation. The interpretations of Alessandro Borghi and the rest of the cast are convincing, it is a pity that the actors have to move in a narration devoid of bite and often predictable.

The screenplay of The Hanging Sun seems to take the viewer's empathy with the characters for granted, especially with the one played by Borghi, whose background leaves rather indifferent. The choice of the flashback structure, with the editing juxtaposing moments from the man's past with sequences set in the village that tell the present of Lea and her son Caleb, should convey a tension that however does not arrive. A listless direction, and a somewhat clumsy management of emotional climaxes - including the one that leads to the final confrontation between the protagonist and his father - does not help to enter the story; at the end of the vision, of The Hanging Sun remains only the charm of a location on the edge of the world immortalized with a visual taste that does not find its equivalent in a solid story capable of involving. The result, unfortunately, is poor in substance and emotion.