THE HUNT is a magnificent film, which is why I found ANOTHER ROUND a bit weak and disappointingâI actively keep up with what Vinterberg is doing. And yes THE HUNT isn't satire, it's social critique like FESTEN I guess.
But RIDERS OF JUSTICE is really what got me on to this "Scandinavian* comedies suck" train in the first place. My brief review of it (from January last year).
Remind me to stop giving lots of time to Danish comedies. Like ANOTHER ROUND, this film proffers us a mismatch of tone, character and incident, inviting the audience to like some fundamentally unpleasant people, especially the bereaved returned soldier played by Mikkelsen. It lacks the nuance of Vinterberg's film and is more flawed, with unfortunately thin writing.
There is a moment towards the end when the plot suddenly develops in a fascinating way, with some of its central presuppositions contradictedâbut then the rest of the film unfolds as if this hasn't happened, and the ending is breathtakingly lazy.
As for Ăstlund, mileage varies, but FORCE MAJEURE is extremely good and I feel he's been on a downhill slope sinceâas it were. I don't know why these recent comedies are poor, but they are. It seems to be a problem of understanding, as if these writers and directors are very distant from their subjects, or maybe just one of laziness and under-development.
TRIANGLE OF SADNESS was a big disappointment given its acclaimâit ends up a harsher indictment of Cannes than its wealthy protagonists. A film like TĂR, ostensibly a more pure drama, is vastly more funny just because at least it's carefully observed.
* Cheekily widening the net a little given my fuckup concerning Ăstlund's nationality
