Wildland

Wildland is a gripping Danish crime drama released in 2020 that boasts standout performances from Sandra Guldberg Kampp, Sidse Babett Knudsen, and Joachim Fjelstrup. Directed by Jeanette Nordahl, the movie centers on a young woman's horrifying journey into a Aarhus based crime family after a personal tragedy changes her life direction. The film masterfully balances family dynamics, crime world proliferation, and the protagonist's internal struggle between moral rectitude and familial loyalty.

The narrative is built around Ida, played by Sandra Guldberg Kampp, a teenager who has to grapple with a sudden familial tragedy. Struggling to come to terms with her new normal, Ida is taken in by her aunt Bodil, played by Sidse Babett Knudsen, who runs a thriving but unorthodox business to support her family. While at first she is unaware of the true nature of her aunt's enterprise, Ida later discovers the darker side of her aunt's enterprise and becomes unwillingly implicated in the family's illegal activities.

To complicate things, Ida discovers that her three estranged adult cousins, including Mads - portrayed by Joachim Fjelstrup, are also deeply entrenched in the family crime business. As much as she tries to distance herself from the criminal undertakings, Ida gets more ensnared and conflicted, dragging her further into the maze of her aunt's dangerous world. Every step she takes into her aunt's family ties her more to this world, presenting her with dilemmas of loyalty, survival, and moral complexities.

Sidse Babett Knudsen's portrayal of Bodil, the mother hen with a sinister side, deserves a special mention. She delivers an unforgettable performance, depicting a mother who is fiercely protective of her children but at the same time steering them into a perilous life of crime. Sandra Guldberg Kampp as Ida also delivers a noteworthy performance. Her depiction of a teenager experiencing a roller-coster of emotions throughout her journey brings an intense realism to Ida's character.

Filmed in a Danish suburb, the setting signifies the socio-economic environment that spawns such a life of crime, and this environment seems almost a character in itself. The cinematography, from solid camera work to the choice of locations, adds a gritty, realistic layer to this enthralling crime family drama. In conclusion, Jeanette Nordahl's direction provides an intelligent storytelling that successfully straddles the terrain of familial dynamics, moral dilemmas and crime narrative.

While Wildland is undoubtedly a crime thriller, it is a lot more than that. At its core, it's a movie about family and the lengths to which one would go to protect their loved ones, presenting a deep dive into familial bonds, crime, and morality. It's a film where the mistakes of the adult characters threaten the innocence and lives of the younger ones, pushing them into an abyss of hardened criminality from which they might never emerge.

The movie had its world premiere at the Berlinale in February 2020 and has been appreciated by critics and audiences alike for its mature storytelling, superb acting, and a realistic portrayal of a Soprano-esque crime family from Denmark. Jeanette Nordahl, who made her feature debut with this movie, shows a masterful control of the narrative and profound understanding of her characters, making the movie an impressive first step in her directorial journey.

In conclusion, Wildland is a must-watch for fans of engaging crime dramas and those intrigued by the complexities of human behaviour and relationships. It handles the subject matter with sensitivity and intelligence, making it both a thrilling and thought-provoking watch. It's a movie that lingers, continuing to haunt the viewer long after its end credits roll. The brilliant performances, potent storytelling, and a bone-chilling exploration of crime and morality make Wildland a standout entry in the crime genre cinema of 2020.