The Oath (Le serment d'Hippocrate)

Good tense plot with no slack in it. Acting by Baltazar was very good in keeping with the character. Nice scenery no 'fill the time moments'. Worth the watch.

This interesting drama, which participated in the official section of the San Sebastian International Film Festival in 2016, is performed by some of Iceland's best-known actors. Icelandic auteur Baltasar Kormákur ("Contraband", "2 Guns", "Everest") directs and stars as a troubled father, Finnur (Baltasar Kormákur), working as a surgeon decides to go to extreme measures to save his daughter Anna (Hera Hilmar) from the devastating influence of her drug-dealer boyfriend Ottar (Gísli Örn Garðarsson). But soon he sees that Otto has a darker side. In a final, desperate attempt to get evidence to use against . With boyfriends like this, enemies are the last thing you need!.Get rid Ottar's sick craving for Anna?. And his adoration turns to obsession, their dream into a nightmare, and her love into fear. Guys like him don't grow on trees, or even swing on them. But he might just hang you from one. The attraction was obvious...The danger wasn't. Now, if he can't have her...No one will. Attraction. Infatuation. Desire. Love. Fear. He wants to make you his...in the worst way. Sometimes, love is a good thing...to fear.

Some cleverness, but ultimately follows a familiar, cliched path littered one-dimensional characters and predictable plot twists. In this psychological thriller about a father who tries to pull his daughter out of her world of drugs and petty crime, only to find that danger can be found in unexpected places. Stars Baltasar Kormákur giving a decenta acting as a surgeon in his fifties who discovers that his daughter is totally immersed in the world of drugs and who will try to get her out no matter what the cost.

This is the second film (after 101 Reykjavík) in which the Icelandic filmmaker acts as both director, screenwriter, producer and protagonist. After directing ¨2 guns¨ and ¨Everest¨ in the United States, Kormákur returns to Iceland to film the highest-grossing film of 2006. Violent, unconventional climax kills any credibility that was left. The movie title refers to the Hippocratic Oath, which is traditionally sworn by doctors. Baltasar Kormákur and Gísli Örn Garðarsson standout as the girl's protective father and a violent delinquent boyfriend respectively.

It displays evocative and colorful cinematographt shot on location in Reikiavik, Lundarreykjadalur, Islandia. This highest grossing film of 2016 on Iceland was professionally directed Baltasar Kormákur. Baltasar who was born in Reykjavik, Iceland , is a good writer/Producer/filmmaker, an artisan who has directed a number of decent movies of all kinds of genres . As he has directed¨Contraband," which was a remake of Oskar Johansson's "Reykjavik Rotterdam," and he produced through his Blueeyes Productions, along with Working Title Films. Kormákur's next films were the thriller "2 Guns," starring Denzel Washington and Mark Wahlberg, ¨The missionary , ¨The Oath¨ , ¨Adrift¨ , ¨Everest¨,among others . And his last one is ¨The Beast¨with Idris Elba . Rating : 6/10 . The picture will appeal to thriller enthusiasts.

''The Oath'' (original title: ''Eiðurinn'') is an Icelandic production, directed by the famous auteur, Baltasar Kormákur who gave us the exceptional ''Jar City'' in 2006 -a film based on a novel by Arnaldur Indridason- and is also the creator of the compelling television series, ''Trapped''. Kormákur is also the screenwriter of this film along with Ólafur Egilsson, and the protagonist as he portrays Finnur, an upper-class surgeon and father of Anna, a troubled teenager who is madly in love with a low-life criminal, Óttar (Gísli Örn Garðarsson is great in his performance). Of course, Finnur doesn't approve of his daughter's relationship and he is willing to do anything in order to win her back and be a family once again. But things spiral out of control and Finnur finds himself in a tough spot where he has to violate the Hippocratic Oath -this is the titular ''oath''- that every doctor takes in the beginning of his career, or lose his offspring for good. The plot unfolds on a rather steady tempo and the viewer has the opportunity to indulge in the great cinematography of the movie which is one of its greatest merits. The Icelandic landscape is a character in itself and always triggers a variety of gloomy, melancholic feeling that suits the story perfectly. ''The Oath'' is an emotional story about the existence -or not- of limits in the actions of a parent who wants to save his child from corruption and decay. The finale is moving and unconventional, giving the viewer's imagination space for his own interpretation. The production values of the film are of high quality and I think that ''The Oath'' is a better movie from the majority of the crime films produced in Hollywood. Baltasar Kormákur proves -once again- that he is a rising star in direction and that his point of view is insightful as well as humane.

Possible Spoilers!

I gave this very worthy flick 10 stars just to redress the balance of the negative reviews it has received here.

Works on all levels. The dramatic tension is consistent throughout. The father/daughter relationship is very realistic, particularly her lack of self awareness and immaturity wich are very recognisable traits of addicts.

Gísli Örn Garðarsson was convincing as Ottar. He wasn't painted as just a two dimensional villain. Just as real villains are not just villains. They love, have families, have a sense of humour, pets and hobbies and are often victims of bigger villains than themselves.

I laud Baltasar Kormakur as both a fine director and actor.

We've seen this story told many times before but this still seems fresh and the acting is quite good. A little slow to get started but when it does, it's quite suspenseful. It's worth a watch, and the Icelandic settings are a relief from the usual American locales.