La Chasse

This is a really tough movie to watch. I don't know how they do it, but keeping it "real" is not an issue with Mr. Vinterberg and others as it seems. Having a real situation that will throw you and others off balance and play it as straight as possible sounds simple, but it really isn't. You need actors like Mads Mikkelsen to convey the story and be able to portray all the facets of his character.

The kid actors in this are very important too and as is said in the making of, none were told the whole truth or what the implications might be. Which is especially important to those who might think kids were exposed to things they shouldn't have been. Which brings us right back to the theme of the movie and the question, if we are over protective or if the world around us has changed too much? There are a lot of other questions too that are raised and not all can be answered with certainty or any satisfying result. Which makes the movie even more disturbing and good.

I just saw The Hunt at the New Zealand International Film Festival and I walked out speechless. The Hunt has such a difficult story to tell but the film makers never go too far with little exposition. The film doesn't take one side over another, making the point that there isn't really any "bad guys" in the film, just people on opposite sides of one coin. The script is shocking, tragic and at times funny. The film is very intimately shot with an almost documentary approach. The film is mostly shot hand-held, giving you the feeling of realism. The camera likes to get in close and hold on the actors eyes and it is the eyes that tell the story. Most of the story is told through what was not being said, but instead with looks and pauses. Mads Mikkelsen is stunning as always as the man accused of sexual abuse. He plays the role with such sensitivity to the character but always keeps you guessing throughout the film. Annika Wedderkopp plays the role of the innocent young girl to perfection, again always keeping you guessing. Their relationship being one of the most interesting I've seen on film this year. If I had one complaint it would be that the main plot ends quite abruptly, not leaving me fully satisfied before it goes into the epilogue. The Hunt is drama at its best with beautiful performances from the entire cast. It is hard to explain how great this film is without giving away spoilers but the film gives no clear answers for such a difficult subject and it makes you ask yourself, what would I do?

Here in the small town where I reside, our local newspaper had a recent headline that a beloved teacher was suspected of improper contact with a student. The article was complete along with his picture and I felt that this teacher's life was over as he knew it whether the information was accurate or false. I felt that I would withhold judgement pending an accurate and a detailed investigation, but I know that others would not give the teacher this courtesy. Human nature is an interesting thing to observe and we often get trapped in our own snares with comments such as "I really can't tolerate judgemental people".

Recently I saw another Danish movie "The Hijacking" and was so impressed with it, that I sought out this movie as it was also a highly regarded project. I'm glad I did. The movie reflected the idea of a rush to judgement and all the implications of how society reacts when information is inaccurately reinforced.

The title of the movie, "The Hunt" is symbolic of Lucas's hunt for justice, but also feeling like the hunted. It begins with friends at a hunting camp drinking & celebrating but this hunt is all a metaphor for Lucas's life. Perhaps it was best expressed when his son got a family heirloom hunting rifle and it was said that now he was old enough to find his way in the forest. "The Hunt" is really about such a journey and the forest was thick with assumptions, accusations, hatred, betrayal, and a host of other thorns, briars, branches and such things to trip up the journey. Having felt like he was being hunted through a community's narrow rifle scope of understanding, Lucas's idea of hunting is ultimately altered....and believably so.

Vinterberg does a masterful job of story telling and in such a way that we hear a morality tale. Yes, many times the information we are told in the news is correct. But what if it isn't? What price is paid by the victim and his/her family? If you want to watch a movie that is different from the typical Hollywood variety and gives you reason to search more deeply before believing what you see and hear, watch "The Hunt" and see if you would find your way through the same forest that Lucas traveled. Few of us would be able to do so....

'The Hunt' is a truly accomplished film, its simple premise and themes are executed perfectly. The film is hugely engrossing and completely and utterly infuriating, which is a testament to the merits of its acting, direction, script and hyper-realism.

The film follows Lucas (Mads Mikkelsen), a lonely primary school teacher who relishes his job and is popular with both the children and the local community. Just as he meets Nadja (Alexandra Rapaport) and begins a relationship with her, his relationship with another woman, 5-year-old Klara (Annika Wedderkopp), lands him in immeasurable trouble. What happens is a completely innocuous misunderstanding, but the community, the 'adults' who are supposed to be rational and fair, turn into a lynch mob.

The film is about the danger of mass hysteria, ignorance and subsequently the frightening power of numbers. It teaches the importance of measure and consideration; it's a much-needed anecdote to the sensational vilification, general ignorance, and trashy media that permeates our lives.

The film is intelligently and thoughtfully written. The girl is by no means vindictive; as much as you want to vent your anger, she's clearly far too young to understand what is happening. It's the 'adults' who display their stupidity, their total lack of reasoning and fairness left me indignant for the entirety of the running time and subsequently the whole evening - the film really works.

There is a palpable sense of danger throughout the film, and you genuinely fear for Lucas' life; seldom have I empathised with a character so dearly. Who would've thought a Danish Art House film could be so thoroughly gripping?

'The Hunt' is a thought-provoking, tactful and important film that should be seen by as many people as possible. It's one of the best films of 2012.

Disturbing tale, very uncomfortable film, to watch what happens to this man. Simple and one-sided, but still a good portrayal of a tragedy that feels very real.