Juan Barquin/Columnist
It’s always said that a little white lie is just plain harmless, and yet, often enough, those little white lies snowball into an avalanche of disaster. That process is exactly what Thomas Vinterberg captures in his ever unsettling film “The Hunt.”
Mads Mikkelsen, who many will know as the titular character of NBC’s “Hannibal,” stars as Lucas, a divorced teacher thrust into a situation far beyond his control. Immediately depicted as a man who seems adored by all, from his hunting buddies to the children he teaches, Lucas’ life is looking up.
He has a new girlfriend, he almost has greater custody of his son, and a job that he loves. Yet, in one night, a schoolgirl crush turns into a false accusation of sexual abuse that leads to the destruction of his life in one fell swoop.
The harrowing subject matter of sexual abuse is one that writers Vinterberg and Tobias Lindholm handle well. The audience is never faced with unsavory content, but rather left under constant stress watching the events unfold. A bit of melodrama here and there can be ignored simply because of just how well “The Hunt” is put together, and how interesting its tale of human nature really is.
Neither Vinterberg nor Mikkelsen is a stranger to dark tales, their pasts both colored with some harsh films. Ever since directing the well-known “Festen,” Vinterberg has been seen as a director who can handle some pitch black subject matter and “The Hunt” is a clear reminder of just how great he can be.
For every step that Lucas takes to attempt to prove his innocence or simply live a normal life, he is beaten two steps back by those around him. The same friends who drunkenly chant with pride and joy when they discover he’s dating a woman now physically assault him in public all because of one assumption.
There’s an all too convincing pain in Mads Mikkelsen’s eyes whenever the camera focuses in on him. It’s hard to question his innocence when watching him suffer constantly on screen, just trying to cope with his life from the moment of the accusation. The devastation he brings to the role, especially in a memorable church sequence, is arguably the film’s best feature.
With “The Hunt,” Vinterberg and Lindholm are free to explore just how irrational and suggestible human nature can be. It presents a situation that’s tough to sit through, but begs the question: just how little evidence is needed as a foundation for undying hatred of a person? It is exactly that question that makes it such a provocative piece of cinema.
juan.barquin@fiusm.com
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