“Revenge” is a film about a man of exceptional kindness and spiritual experience, who categorically denies violence, but … finds himself in a situation where he must accept violence as his fault. Because it comes from his 10-year-old son, who decided to avenge the offense of his father.
1. “Moral Anxiety Film”. Once upon a time there was such a direction in Polish cinema, which in many respects prepared the overthrow of totalitarianism in the then socialist camp. These are films whose characters find themselves in circumstances of a categorical moral choice. Among those few who, after the death of Krzysztof Kieslowski, decide to raise this topic, is the Danish Bier. She agrees with her compatriot Lars von Trier: cinema should manipulate the emotions of the viewer, amaze him. But he clarifies: and thereby awaken the best in him. Such is “Revenge” – a film about a man of exceptional kindness and spiritual experience, who categorically denies violence, but … found himself in a situation where he must accept violence as his fault. Because it comes from his 10-year-old son, who decided to avenge the offense of his father.
2. Oscar. “Revenge” won this year’s Oscar as “Best Foreign Film” – and here the expert opinion of film academics is unmistakable. Because this is a serious and touching film about the drama of the world, whose fine structure is just a cardboard facade. Behind him there is no main thing – consent and understanding.
3. Open world. The hero of “Revenge”, a doctor, a citizen of one country, goes to help the people of another – he works in a refugee camp in Africa. And his psychology is the psychology of a civilly responsible person, that is, a civilized one. But civilization is just a learning to think not only about yourself. But for our country, which is so acutely suffering from isolationism and “central pupism”, this film is simply necessary.
CAST: Mikael Persbrandt, Trine Dyrholm, Ulrich Thompsen, Kim Bodnia.
Susanne Bier is a 51-year-old Danish filmmaker who won the 2011 Oscar and has 11 films to her credit. By the way, one of her paintings, “After the Wedding” (After the Wedding, 2006), has already been nominated for an Oscar. “Man Without Borders” (Michael Persbrandt) will have to understand his child.