The Promised Land

"While the western is considered the quintessential American film genre, it's also true that its conventions have transcended those borders to tell universal stories about human struggles against nature (both environmental and human). The Promised Land would thus be a "Danish western". Set in the 18th century, the plot follows Ludvig Kahlen (Mads Mikkelsen, excellent as always), a retired captain from the German army of humble origin who intends to use his modest pension to tame the inhospitable moors of Jutland, Denmark, and build a settlement. However, this goes against the wishes of Frederich Schinkel (Simon Bennebjerg), a powerful but corrupt local magistrate and landowner. Thus, the story leads to a war of wills that escalates slowly but surely toward violence, but also to a struggle within Kahlen himself. While its narrative and visual aspects fail to stand out among other similar offerings, the direction is solid, the story is well-told, and the actors are phenomenal."