Les Révoltés de l'île du diable

'The King of Devil's Island' tells a familiar story of the abuse of authority, in it's portrayal of the life in a tough boys' prison in early 20th century Norway. More unusually, there's no story of tyranny among the inmates themselves, and moreover, the staff are quietly evil: the child abuser, and the governor who turns a blind eye while simultaneously believing that his regime is morally improving. Indeed, for a story of harshness and death, the film could be considered understated, except for the powerful melodrama of its climax, which is well-earned by the lower key, but convincing, material that proceeds it. And like other Scandanavian movies, it gains power through the sheer fact of the climate: when folly could mean freezing to death, there's an underlying seriousness absent in more clement environments.

Heart rendering true story about an uprising at a notorious correctional facility for juveniles on a Norwegian island. When a new prisoner arrives Erling (Ben Helstand), his unrelenting passion to escape, prevail against repression, and rebel against authority figures immediately puts him in hot water. The young men in this facility must endure horrendous conditions, as well as physical and mental abuse daily. Eriling's unflinching bravery eventually and collectively inspires and galvanizes these young men together in their life altering uprising against oppression.

At first, the young men are unnamed (assigned numbers), completely alone, and without much hope for the future. However, Eriling's tenacious spirit leads to uniting broken spirits, establishing relationships, and not to be afraid to follow your dreams. The cinematography and barren landscape perfectly captures and enhances the cold- hearted spirit of the corrections facility, and the people who run it. The metaphor that is used throughout the film, and the evolving story of the "harpooner" is just perfect. Never falls victim to cheap melodrama; inspirational and touching. Impressive achievement by director Marius Hoist. Both performances by Stellan Skarsgard and Benjamin Heistad are simply marvelous.

It's such a shame the Norwegian Committee did not choose this film as the contender for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film.

The acting is top notch from all the main characters. Kristoffer Joner and Stellan Skarsgård's characters really gives you the chill, but the actors that really surprised was the newcomers Trond Nilssen and Benjamin Helstad characters. They delivered the best dialogs and very convincing acting.

If you are a sucker for true stories about injustice, mental and physical abuse and uprising against a brutal regime, then go watch this film now! Forget about The Troll Hunter, this is probably one of the best Norwegian films from the last decades.

King of Devil's Island (2010)

A very straight forward, hard hitting, well acted account based on a true story of a boy's penal colony on a Norwegian Island early in the 20th Century.

That says it all. It is what it is, and there is the almost inevitable rebel and leader among the boys against the sometimes evil, sometimes indifferent adults who rule the group with false benevolence. You know who is right and who is wrong, and you follow the plot with a mixture of expectation and outrage. It's dramatic great stuff. Yes, been there and seen that somehow before, but it's severe and beautiful in its setting and intense and provocative within.

It might be interesting to compare this to more famous prison movies (the dubious "Shawshank" and earlier classics like "Birdman from Alcatraz") to realize how much this one is holding to a line of truth. As much as the events are extreme (eventually), the filmmaking is filled with restraint. Compare further to a movie like "Shutter Island" and you know that this one is practically a grey, subdued documentary.

And this is to its advantage. It's not a mind-blowing experience in cinema terms--it's just a really well done, focused, sensitive telling of a forgotten story of repression and survival and maybe, in the end, the every lifting human spirit.

Based on true events, this one of the most expensive Norwegian (+Swedish, Estonian) film was shot primarily in my home country - thus, apart from a good film experience, I had a joy of recognition vis-a-vis places and actors (although Estonian ones had mute or 1-2 word roles only). Anyway, the Norwegian background and spirit with gloom and misery in a closed penal institution were well captured, and all the leading characters were skillfully elaborated and performed (especially Stellan Skarsgård as Håkon, Benjamin Helstad as Erling "C19", Trond Nilssen as Olav "C1"). Most of the screenplay is focused, however, on the "normal" routine in the establishment, boys versus staff, the rebellion itself and its consequences are shown in a limited time and space (I would have liked to know what happened to the revolting boys, and how the usual living was restored).

Nevertheless, Kongen av Bastøy is a strong drama, giving food for thought long after the credits disappear.