Vanskabte Land (2022) | REVIEW

Elliott Crosset Hove as ‘Lucas’ in GODLAND / VANSKABTE LAND — PHOTO: Maria von Hausswolff / Scanbox Entertainment.

International Title: Godland — Icelandic Title: Volaða land — Directed by Hlynur Pálmason — Screenplay by Hlynur Pálmason.

Hlynur Pálmason’s Vanskabte Land takes place in the late 19th Century when Iceland was under Danish rule. The film follows a young Danish priest named Lucas (played by Elliott Crosset Hove) who is instructed to travel to Iceland and oversee the establishment of a new parish church in a Danish settlement. In spite of the fact that he has been warned about the harsh weather, the landscape, and the overwhelming temperatures, Lucas decides against merely sailing directly to the Danish settlement, and he, instead, decides to take on an arduous journey across Iceland and witness the country’s wonders and dangers firsthand for the purpose of documenting it with his extremely heavy camera equipment. Lucas, however, has bit off way more than he can chew, as the new overwhelming environment makes him ill-tempered and unprepared to even try to learn the language. When he loses his translator, Lucas is overcome with despair and growing animosity towards his guide, Ragnar (played by Ingvar Eggert Sigurðsson), who has a complicated relationship with the Danish language.

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