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The Promised Land
Bastarden
2023 127 min Denmark, Germany, Sweden 18+
★8.1
Action, Drama, History
Director: Nikolaj Arcel
🎭 Based on
«The Captain and Ann Barbara»
byIda Jessen
Trailers
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Description
Denmark, 1755. Captain Ludvig Kahlen sets out to conquer a Danish heath reputed to be uncultivable, with an impossible goal: to establish a colony in the name of the king, in exchange for a royal title. A single-minded ambition that the ruthless lord of the region will relentlessly seek to put down. Kahlen's fate hangs in the balance: will his endevours bring him wealth and honour, or cost him his life...?
Budget:
$8.5M
US Gross:
$257,749
Worldwide:
$2.25M
Starring
Mads Mikkelsen
Actor
Amanda Collin
Actor
Simon Bennebjerg
Actor
Awards
European Film Awards 2023
— Best Actor
European Film Awards 2023
— Best Cinematography
European Film Awards 2023
— Best Costume Design
European Film Awards 2023
— Best Costume Design
Venice Film Festival 2023
— SIGNIS Award – Special Mention
Key opinion
The Promised Land is a visually stunning and deeply felt historical drama anchored by a powerhouse performance from Mads Mikkelsen. While some viewers find the plot trajectory predictable or the pacing occasionally uneven, the film is widely praised for its raw emotional power and exploration of resilience against social injustice.
| Acting | Mads Mikkelsen delivers a masterful, magnetic performance that conveys complex emotions through subtle physical restraint. | |
| Cinematography | The cinematography effectively captures the stark, brutal beauty of the Danish landscape, creating an immersive and atmospheric period experience. | |
| Theme | The central conflict between the protagonist's ambition and the cruel, narcissistic local nobility provides a compelling emotional core. | |
| Originality | The film is a grounded, traditional historical drama, though it risks feeling derivative for those seeking an innovative or unconventional narrative structure. | |
| Pacing | The three-hour runtime rewards those who appreciate a slow-burn, character-driven pace, while others find the narrative flow occasionally meandering or predictable. |