De forbandede år

WWII history is an interest of mine, so this movie caught my eye when scrolling for WWII films I had not yet seen.

The occupation of Denmark by the Nazis is of particular interest to me after studying WWII and reading novels like "Hornet Flight" by Ken Follett.

This movie starts out very broad. There are a wide range of characters and the film does a good job of providing some depth to each of them. This, in my opinion, is the best part of the movie.

A wealthy industrialist Danske family navigates the occupation in a variety of ways due to conflicting opinions within the immediate and extended family.

It was a historically accurate film with views from both sides of the war that sadly ended far too quickly, leaving the audience craving more from the characters so deeply introduced.

Decent acting, but varies from actor to actor. The main problem is that the movie is just too long to be frank! I wouldnt say its a waste of time to watch it, but its not a 'must watch'. Plenty of better danish 2. World War movies if you ask me.

Starting on April 9th 1940, this follows a Danish family, and the friends, colleagues and such, of its various members, as they struggle through the moral grey area, the non-stop compromising, that can be unavoidable when trying to live your life in an occupied nation during a World War. Agreeing to work with with the Nazis sounds like tacit support of them, but what what if is the only way to to avoid having to fire dozens of people with families to feed?

While I haven't read the novel upon which this is based, I can say without a doubt that this is one of the book adaptations that appreciates the challenges that come with that. It manages to handle a massive amount of material, with over a dozen major characters, involved in a handful of different subplots(one could argue that there might be a couple too many), without simply ending up overwhelming. It does move very fast, and there are definitely times where you struggle to keep up with why this or that person behaved in a certain way, as their growth sometimes flies by and it's hard to keep up with it. There are times where it goes from one of these storylines to another too abruptly. This is definitely a movie that requires the viewer have a strong base of knowledge about Denmark during WWII. It is not going to hold your hand, and you are frankly going to be confused, if you go into this not knowing very much about that. The acting is convincing and these all feel like real people. You've known people similar to them in your own life. Some events are dramatised, yet most of this is credible and authentic.

This contains a little bloody violence, as well as brief sexuality and nudity. I recommend this to anyone who enjoys fiction dealing with the period. 8/10

So much could have been made of this. But what a dissappointment.

De Forbandede År, directed by Anders Refn, is a gripping portrayal of the Danish resistance during the Nazi occupation of Denmark. The film centers around the complicated relationships between a group of characters trying to survive during the war.

The characters are complex and interesting, each with their own motives and struggles. The main character, Kar Skov (Jesper Kristensen) l, is a successful businessman who is torn between his loyalty to his family and his country. He becomes involved in the resistance, but as the war goes on, he begins to question his actions and those of his fellow resistance fighters.

The film does an excellent job of capturing the uncertainty of how to feel about the actions of people during war. It shows how divided loyalties can make it difficult to know who to trust and what to do. The relationships between the characters are also explored in depth, showing how war can put a strain on even the closest of bonds.

One particularly interesting aspect of the film is its portrayal of the Danish police force during the occupation. Many Danish police officers chose to collaborate with the Nazis, but some also worked with the resistance. This added a layer of complexity to the film and showed that not everyone's actions during the war were black and white.

Overall, De Forbandede År is a thought-provoking film that explores the complexities of war and the human relationships that are impacted by it. The director, Anders Refn, does an excellent job of creating a tense and emotional atmosphere throughout the film, and the performances of the cast are top-notch. It is a must-see for anyone interested in World War II history or human relationships during times of crisis.