30 days writing challenge — DAY 7: favorite movie
During my gap year, I took a break from my studies and treated myself to some much-needed relaxation by indulging in movies and series that I had previously put on hold. I know it’s pretty important to take a step back from studying and allow yourself to unwind. However, I soon discovered that even taking a break from studying can be stressful, especially when an emotional movie adds to the pressure. Have you ever experienced this?
Currently, I am deeeeeply enamored with Mads Mikkelsen.❤ His attributes are flawless, and I have even committed to watching his entire filmography, which amounts to around 62 productions. While scrolling through Twitter, I stumbled upon a fan’s rave review of “The Hunt” starring Mads Mikkelsen. Intrigued by the overwhelming positive response in the replies, I decided to watch the movie without reading any reviews or watching any trailers. Fans have hailed it as Mikkelsen’s finest performance yet, and I couldn’t resist seeing it for myself.
Despite my initial lack of knowledge about this film, it has now become one of my favorites, albeit one that is difficult to re-watch. I must acknowledge that it is masterfully written with a painful, yet beautiful, storyline. Despite tackling weighty social issues, the plot remains accessible and easily comprehensible.
“The Hunt”, directed by Thomas Vintenberg, achieved multiple accolades including Best Actor at the 2012 Cannes Film Festival and represented Denmark as the Best Foreign Language Film at the 2014 Academy Awards.
“The Hunt” tells the story of Lucas (Mads Mikkelsen), a beloved kindergarten teacher in a small Danish town. Despite being adored by his students, Lucas leads a lonely life after his wife and children moved to the city. However, Lucas finds solace in his relationship with Klara (Annika Wedderkopp), the daughter of his closest friend. As Klara struggles with her parents’ frequent arguments, Lucas becomes a source of stability and love in her life. When Klara kisses Lucas on the lips and writes a love letter to Lucas expressing her admiration for him, it sets off a chain of events that threatens to destroy Lucas’s reputation and relationships.
Regarding her love letter, leading Klara to believe that Lucas did not want to accept it. This caused Klara to feel hurt, and in her emotional state, she expressed her frustration to another teacher by saying, “I hate Lucas. He’s stupid and ugly. He has a penis. But his penis is hard as a stick.” Klara’s words caused the teacher to become increasingly concerned, leading to a serious interrogation. This led to speculation that Lucas may be sexually abusing Klara.
Klara’s parents were furious and quickly the news of this abuse spread in Lucas’ neighborhood. In an instant, Lucas’ life changed completely. He was fired from school and friends began to stay away from him. Not only that, Lucas was also reported to the police even though the police could not arrest him because there was no evidence.
Lucas experienced social isolation not only from his friends and peers at school, but also felt the same rejection from the wider community around him.
Spoiler alert
Klara’s brother’s friend was the one who spoke the words that were attributed to Klara. The presentation of pornography images had a significant impact on Klara, causing confusion and ultimately leading to the root of the problem.
What truly left me both astonished and disturbed about this movie wasn’t its content up until the end. Rather, it was the final scene that left me with such feelings. Despite having been exonerated of all allegations and having regained the public’s affection once more, Lucas decided to mark his son’s birthday and his own return by giving his child the family’s hunting rifle. He then proceeded to venture into the woods to hunt deer. As Lucas’ son departed, leaving him alone in the wilderness, a barrage of gunfire erupted in the distance, targeting Lucas’ precise location. The film went silent for a moment, and upon its conclusion, it left not only me but also the rest of the audience baffled.
There are two potential scenarios at play here. On one hand, it appears that Lucas’ newfound freedom may not be well-received by all. On the other hand, it’s possible that the conclusion of the film is simply a product of Lucas’ own delusions. Either way, it’s difficult to imagine how Lucas, a genuinely kind-hearted individual, is coping with it all.
