The Hunt [Blu-ray]

I just watched The Hunt (in Danish: Jagten) for the second time, and it retains its power as much on the second watch as when I originally saw it. This is a smart, well done, quite masterful bit of storytelling and filmmaking, lead by Mads Mikkelsen's subtle and carefully nuanced performance as Lucas, an innocent kindergarten teacher accused of child molestation.What's this film "about?" Mass hysteria comes to mind as the accusations Lucas faces are predicated on the lie told by one little girl and as the lie spreads, so it grows, until Lucas is railroaded and judged by the court of public opinion without the benefit of due process. What makes The Hunt particularly devastating is that Lucas's accusers are not strangers, but instead are people he has known his entire life, whose families have known his family going back generations, and who share the same traditions and cultural upbringing in their small town. It's like the 1600's Salem witch trials, set in Denmark today.There is an undercurrent of repressed masculine sexual tension in Lucas's town. The teen boys eagerly yelling over porn. The traditions of the town demand "boys to become men, and men to become boys" on a special day when boys are gifted their first hunting rifle and hunt an innocent deer. Lucas is a man who has been divorced from his wife for reasons which are never revealed and has not been allowed to call or to see his son, and he also has lost his high school teacher job, which has caused him to have to work in the kindergarten, something which his ex-wife considers shameful. Hence, Lucas is "feminine" by the standards of his town, he is at rock bottom, his masculinity has been diminished. One has to wonder if Lucas was penalized and victimized due to being a single male and , if he had been currently married when the events in the story unfolded, would the townspeople have so readily believed the tale of an imaginative child? Like the deer, Lucas gets the look of a hunted animal, nervous, fearful, innocent but ready prey set for slaughter for the pleasure of masculine men, a feast at the supper table courtesy of their bored wives. It does bring about the question also how many amazing men might make wonderful teachers, but do not dare take up this profession since the risk of life-ruining accusations is so high.The Hunt also demands that we examine victimhood to a certain extent. The change in Klara's mother is most striking. In the beginning, she is basically an absentee mother too busy to walk her daughter to school. Her clothing is somewhat young and she doesn't seem to have herself together. After the accusations occur, her clothing suddenly becomes matronly and her demeanor that of a martyr, as the townspeople rally behind her. In society, nobody loves a loser (Lucas) but everyone feels for a victim. Yet - do victims lie? And if the truth becomes known, to what lengths will martyrs go to continue their martyrdom?I find The Hunt fascinating as well because there are no bad guys here. It's not a Rambo situation where anyone is out to get Lucas. It's a bunch of well meaning individuals making choices based on the fact they believe they are doing the right thing.What The Hunt leaves us with is a sense that there are many victims in this story. Lucas is an obvious victim, especially as his character will always be in doubt even after the events of the story have unfolded, but one has to wonder what will happen to this town as a result of a little girl crying wolf. How will Grethe, the school administrator, respond should such a case happen again? What kind of psychological damage has already happened to the little girl, Klara, and may continue as she grows up? What about the damaged friendships in this tight knit community? And so forth.Overall, the subject matter is rough and possibly triggering for some. This is not a popcorn film or something you watch on date night. It is slow moving, its strengths being the finely crafted performances by the actors and actresses, the director, Thomas Vinterberg, not taking it into American-style "one man against the world" territory, but instead allowing the story to intimately unfold. Simply taking a peek into everyday Danish life, how homes are decorated, what these people wear, their traditions, is neat as well, everyday people doing everyday things, which lends the story extra power and allows the plot, an innocent man going about his life until something extreme happens to him, to really hit hard.All in all, a fantastic and very relevant piece of cinema.

I saw this movie three times during its all-too-short run in New York City art houses. This is a deeply-absorbing adult film that grips you from the start and never lets go. You are on the edge of your seat rooting for this man's life to somehow turn around. Mads Mikkelsen - best known to American audiences as "Hannibal" on the TV series - stars in this film. He has been a major star in Europe for years, and how lucky we are to finally have him in the USA. He plays a character, Lucas, who is wrongfully accused of sexually assaulting a small child, the daughter of his best friend. He is the victim of vicious lies that snowball out of control. Everyone can relate to what this character is going through because we have all at some time been the victim of rumors and lies. Except that what this character is going through is 1,000 times worse than most things I can think of. The supporting cast are all perfect in their roles. Although Mads Mikkelsen's role on "Hannibal" is striking, it gives us a limited view of his acting abilities. But there is nothing this actor cannot do. I know, because after seeing "The Hunt," I rented or bought about 8 of his films, and I would recommend that you do the same. I haven't been this impressed with an actor in about 10 years. No, make that 20. Hopefully the good word will get out and it will receive a wider release. Mads deserves an Oscar for this, and the film deserves "Best Foreign Film."

This is a great film ! Mads Mikkelsen is one of my 'new' favorite actors ! I have seen him in other films and he doesn't disappoint . I purchased this on DVD from AMAZON . It arrived quick . It was a great transaction all over . I highly recommend this film to everyone !! -- oh - I wanted to say that I had to buy this DVD because it was not available anywhere else . Our options are limited . We don't have video stores anymore . It is not on cable . ( I don't know if it will ever ) . So what choice do I (we) have ?? This is a great movie but not a movie that I am going to want to watch over and over again . Do you know what I mean ? - Now its in my collection . If I should live another 50 years , I will put this dvd in 5 or 6 more times in those 50 yrs . And thats if I have company . This little venting I am doing here is not just about this film in particular . It is just the way things are now in this crazy world we all live in and its only going to get worse with all the changes . God I remember it was such a privilege to 'rent' a video ! We would make a night out of it . My parents did it with us kids , and I did it with my kids . Go rent a movie or 2 - get some popcorn and drinks and shut the lights off . We just don't have that moment anymore ! Hell-- even my wife works the night shift and my kids are always either out with their boyfriends and girlfriends or on the those damned iPHONES !!!! The things I (we) took for granted . I never thought those days would end . ---- Anyway - sorry about that . This is a great movie . Watch it . Thank You .